Ion Beam Sputter Deposition - Fundamentals and Application for Tailoring Thin Film Properties

Ion beam sputter deposition (IBSD) is a PVD technique, which, in comparison to other PVD techniques, is known to produce thin films with desirable properties, for instance, with improved adhesion, dense film structure, less defects, higher purity, less particle contamination, and better controlled composition. Recent systematic and comprehensive investigations of the fundamentals of the whole IBSD process revealed previously unemployed opportunities for tailoring thin film properties over a wide range. The main process parameters were identified to be the scattering geometry and the ion species, or, to be more precise, the mass of the primary ion relative to the mass of the target particle. By choosing these parameters appropriately, structural, optical or electrical properties, to name but a few, can be adjusted according to the technological requirements. The present contribution aims on illustrating these opportunities by presenting the main fundamentals and selected examples.