The properties of thin films are functions of film structure and hence of production route. The structure of thin films consists of macro- and microscale features such as grains, together with pits, cracks, and inclusions, all of which are characterised by their spatial distribution, size, and shape. Some basic definitions and methods that can be used to characterise quantitatively the microstructures of thin films are presented. Examples are given for TiN films produced by plasma assisted chemical vapour deposition and physical vapour deposition.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
PETCHN. J.: J. Iron Steel Inst., 1953, 174, 25.
2.
ARMSTRONGR. W., CODDI., DOUTHWAITER. M., and PETCHN. J.: Philos. Mag., 1962, 7, 45.
3.
RALPHB.: Univ. Wales Rev., 1988, 4, 29.
4.
WATANABET., KIMURAS. -I., and KARASHIMAS.: Phikm. Mag. A, 1984, 49, 845.
5.
DE HOFFR. T. and RHESIESF. N.: ‘Quantitative microscopy’; 1968, New York, McGraw-Hill.
KURZYDLOWSKIK. J. and RALPHB.: ‘The quantitative description of the microstructure of materials’; 1995, New York, CRC Press.
8.
ANGUIANOE., PANCOROBOM., and AGUILARM.: J. Microsc., 1993, 172, (3), 223–232.
9.
KURZYDLOWSKIK. J., WIERZCHONT., BUCKJ. J., and ROZNIATOWSKIK.: Proc. 4th Int. Symp. on Trends and New Applications in Thin Films/11th Conf. on High Vacuum, Interfaces and Thin Films, Dresden, Germany, 1994, Société Francaise du Vide/Deutsche Vakuumgesellschaft, 419–422.
WIERZCHONT., MICHALSKIJ., and RUDNICKJ.:Mater. Sc!.,1992, 27, 771.
13.
KURZYDLOWSKIK. J. and RALPHB.: Proc. 15th Int. Symp. on Materials Science, Roskilde, Denmark, 1994, Riso, 59–74.
14.
GOKHALEA. M. and UNDERWOODE. E.: Acta Stereo!., 1989, 8, 43.
15.
GOKHALEA. M., DRURYW. J., and MISHRAS.: in ‘Fractography of modern engineering materials: composites and metals’, (ed. MastersJ. E. and GilbertsonL. N.), STP1203; 1994, Philadelphia, PA, ASTM.
16.
BADDELEYA. J., GUNDERSENH. J. G., and CRUZ-ORIVEL. M.: J. Microsc., 1986, 142, 259.
17.
MICHALSKIA.: unpublished results.
18.
‘The friction test in 3 rollers—cone system’, Polish Standard PN-83/11-04302, 1983.
19.
WIERZCHONT., SOBIECKIJ. R., and KRUPAD.: Surf. Coat. Technol., 1993, 59, 217–220.
