NB FILM GROWTH ON CRYSTALLINE AND AMORPHOUS SUBSTRATES

Abstract This paper describes Energetic Condensation Growth of Nb films using a cathodic arc plasma on crystalline (aand c-sapphire, MgO) and amorphous (borosilicate) substrates. The crystal substrates were heated to 700 ºC and subsequently coated at 300, 500 and 700 ºC. Film thickness varied from ~0.25µm up to >5µm. The borosilicate substrate was preheated and coated in the 150-700 ºC range. XRD spectra (Bragg-Brentano) and pole figures show a change in crystal structure on csapphire from textured (with twin-symmetry) to heteroepitaxial as the temperature is increased. RRR-43 was measured on c-sapphire which is lower than RRR-330 on a-sapphire and RRR-585 on MgO. On borosilicate, th