Stresses in ion assisted deposited oxide thin films

Thin films of ceria, titania and zirconia have been prepared using ion assisted deposition (IAD). The energy of ions was varied between 0 and 1 keV and current densities up to 220 μA/cm2 were used. It was found that the stress behaviour is dependent on ion species, i.e. argon or oxygen, ion energy and current density and substrate temperature apart from the material. While ceria films showed tensile stresses under the influence of argon ion bombardment at ambient temperature, they showed a sharp transition from tensile to compressive stress with increase in substrate temperature. When bombarded with oxygen ions they showed a transition from tensile to compressive stress with increase in energy. The titania films deposited with oxygen ions, on the other hand showed purely tensile stresses. Zirconia films deposited with oxygen ions, however, showed a transition from tensile to compressive stres