RBS ANALYSIS OF SPUTTER-DEPOSITED MGO FILMS

Magnesia films were prepared by rf diode sputtering and rf magnetron sputtering techniques. The films possessed a highly oriented (100) structure with typical grain sizes of 90 and 105 angstrom for rf diode sputtered and rf magnetron sputtered films, respectively. Stoichiometry and main impurities were analysed by the Rutherford backscattering (RBS) technique. Results showed that the films have good stoichiometry close to that of the bulk magnesia independent of the sputtering method and process conditions used, e.g. gas composition and total pressure. The argon content of the rf diode sputtered films was low, between 0.29 and 0.44 at% and rf magnetron sputtered films had a lower argon content of 0.15 at%.