Titanium Dioxide Thin Films from a Low-Frequency Dual Magnetron Sputtering Process

TiO₂ films were sputtered by a bipolar pulsed-DC process from a pair of sub-stoichiometric TiO_x targets. By utilizing process gas analysis, we find that the largest impact on a reliable batch process lies in both the control of the adsorbed humidity and inlet of oxygen sputtering gas. After establishing this understanding, we show that high quality films can be deposited for any pulsing frequency between 0.5 kHz and 50 kHz with the lower frequencies having a beneficial impact on refractive index, the substrate temperature, and less energy losses at the sputtering power supply.

https://doi.org/10.14332/svc25.proc.0041