Real-time in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry investigation of the amorphous to crystalline phase transition in Mo single layers

Molybdenum single layers were grown by ion beam sputter deposition onto [001] Si substrates. Argon or xenon was used as sputter gas. The layer growth was monitored by real-time in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry in the visible spectral region. A volume phase transition from amorphous to polycrystalline molybdenum layer growth was observed during the deposition process. The time regime of the phase transition as well as the layer thickness at which the phase transition occurs, depends on the sputter regime, especially on sputter species and deposition-pressure range. The thermodynamic approach of energy minimisation is discussed as the driving force for the Mo phase transition. A moderate backscattered particle bombardment of the growing molybdenum film provides the activation energy for the recrystallisation process. A self-diffusion-like process is made responsible for atomic rearrangement of the entire as-deposited thin-film volume. The molybdenum phase transition is connected to thin-film densification and therefore volume contraction.