CONTROL OF REACTIVE DC PLANAR MAGNETRON SPUTTERING OF CHROMIUM NITRIDE

A process parameter envelope for controlling reactive sputter deposition of chromium nitride (CrN) was developed using a statistical experimental design strategy. The influential process control factors for tailoring the CrN film properties of stress, hardness and resistivity were chamber base pressure, cathode power and substrate bias voltage. A relaxed tolerance for precise control of the influential deposition parameters was realized, preventing minor process variabilities from creating undesirable film characteristics. Single-phase, compressively stressed, hard and adherent CrN films were produced with homogeneous microstructures by selecting deposition condition levels which promoted energetic particle bombardment of the growing film.