Deposition rate controls nucleation and growth during amorphous/ nanocrystalline competition in sputtered Zr-Cr thin films

Dual-phase Zr-based thin films synthesized by magnetron co-sputtering and showing competitive growth between amorphous and crystalline phases have been reported recently. In such films, the amorphous phase grows as columns, while the crystalline phase grows as separated cone-shaped crystalline regions made of smaller crystallites. In this paper, we investigate this phenomenon and propose a model for the development of the crystalline regions during thin film growth. We evidence using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), that this competitive self-separation also exists in co-sputtered Zr-Cr thin films with Cr contents of similar to 84-86 at%, corresponding to the transition between the amorphous and crystalline compositions, and in the Zr-V system. Then, to assess the sturdiness of this phenomenon, its existence and geometrical characteristics are evaluated when varying the film composition and the deposition rate. The variation of geometrical features, such as the crystalline cone angle, the size and density of crystallites, is discussed. Is it shown that a variation in the deposition rate changes the nucleation and growth kinetics of the crystallites. The surface coverage by the crystalline phase at a given thickness is also calculated for each deposition rate. Moreover, comparison is made between Zr-Cr, Zr-V, Zr-Mo and Zr-W dual-phase thin films to compare their nucleation and growth kinetics. (c) 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Recently, it has been reported that dual-phase Zr-based thin films synthesized by magnetron co-sputtering exhibit competitive growth between amorphous and crystalline phases. The amorphous phase grows in columnar structures, while the crystalline phase forms separate cone-shaped regions composed of smaller crystallites. In this paper, the authors use X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy to investigate this phenomenon in Zr-Cr and Zr-V thin films. The study evaluates the stability and geometrical characteristics of this self-separation phenomenon under different film compositions and deposition rates, as well as compares the nucleation and growth kinetics of Zr-Cr, Zr-V, Zr-Mo, and Zr-W dual-phase thin films.