High-rate deposition of thin films by high-power ion beam

The results on the deposition of thin elemental and compound films by means of a high-power ion beam are presented. The TEMP accelerator (an ion energy of 300 keV, a current density of 100–150 A/cm² on a target, a pulse repetition rate of 0.3 Hz, a vacuum of 10⁻⁴ Torr) was used. The thin metallic (Cd, Zn and other) and stoichiometric Y1-Ba2-Cu3-O7-x films were obtained. The film growth rate was (0.3–1)·10⁸ Å/s. The results show (i) the metallic films were continuous with very smooth surface morphology when they were examined by scanning electron microscopy, and (ii) transmission electron diffraction and transmission electron microscopy indicated small grain polycrystalline metallic films, and (iii) by Rutherford backward scattering and Auger electron spectroscopy it is shown that the stoichiometric Y1-Ba2-Cu3-O7-x films can be deposited at relatively low substrate temperature ∼ 300–450°C.