Narrow Results

Al/TaN_x multilayers were deposited on Al₂O₃ wafers by DC reactive magnetron sputtering. Microstructure and electrical properties of the samples were investigated in detail. The results show that more compact and smoother surfaces than that of TaN_x thin films can be obtained in the Al/TaN_x multilayers. Metal Al phases precipitate out from all the Al/TaN_x multilayer samples. The main phases in the Al/TaN_x multilayers are poor nitrogen phases when sputtered at lower nitrogen partial flux. However, rich nitrogen phases gradually precipitate out from the samples at higher nitrogen partial flux. With the increase of the nitrogen partial flux from 2 to 6%, the resistivity of the Al/TaN_x multilayers increases from 640 to 1170 μΩ · cm, and the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of the samples increases from 46 to 350 ppm/°C. Compared with TaN_x thin films, the resistivity and TCR of the Al/TaN_x multilayers are all higher than those of the TaN_x thin films.

Antimony-doped tin oxide (SnO₂:Sb, ATO) films were deposited on 7059 corning glass substrate by radio frequency magnetron sputtering method using a commercial ceramic target with a mixture of SnO₂ and Sb (6 wt.%) for application to transparent electrodes. The ATO film was deposited at working pressure of 5 mTorr and RF power of 175 W without substrate heating. The thickness of the deposited ATO films was about 150 nm using a surface profiler (alpha-step). The films were annealed at temperatures ranging from 300 to 600°C in step of 100°C using RTA equipment in vacuum and oxygen atmosphere, respectively. We investigated the effects of the post-annealing atmospheres on structural, electrical and optical properties of the ATO films. The results show that the increase of the annealing temperature improved the crystallinity of the ATO films, increased the grain size and improved electrical and optical properties, regardless of annealing atmospheres. The resistivity of the ATO films decreased significantly with higher annealing temperatures in vacuum and oxygen atmosphere. In the visible range from 400 to 800 nm, the optical transmittance of the ATO films increased over 90% at higher annealing temperature.