Modelling of an obliquely deposited thin film in three dimensions by kinetic Monte Carlo method

A simulation of the growth of an obliquely deposited thin film in a three-dimensional lattice was made using kinetic Monte Carlo method. Cu growth in three dimensions on a (001) substrate with high deposition rates has been simulated in this model. We mainly investigated the variation of three-dimensional morphology and microstructure of films with incidence angle of sputtered flux. The relation of roughness and densities of films with incidence angle was also investigated. The simulation results show that the surface roughness increases and the relative density of thin film decreases with increasing incidence angle, respectively; the columnar structures were separated by void regions for large incidence angle and high deposition rate. The simulation results are in good agreement with experimental results. However, the orientation angle of columns is not completely consistent with the classical tangent rule.