STRESS AND MICROHARDNESS IN SPUTTER DEPOSITED MOLYBDENUM AND CHROMIUM FILMS

The stresses in magnetron sputtered chromium and molybdenum films produced with various energies of ion bombardment and at various substrate temperatures have been measured using x-ray diffraction. The results confirm earlier work on the dependence of stress production on temperature and ion energy, and show that the maximum stress which can be supported in chromium films is reduced by increasing the temperature. Above the plastic flow transition, the lattice strain decreases rapidly with further bombardment. Results for the microhardness of chromium and molybdenum films show a close correlation with measured stress. The films deposited in a state of plastic flow have a rough surface.