Effect of substrate rotation on the growth behavior and topography of the Ti film deposited over a large area using DC magnetron sputtering with a rectangular target: Simulation approach and experiment

It is often challenging to achieve a uniform film with the necessary surface properties when using deposition techniques. If the film is not uniformly deposited or lacks suitable surface roughness, it may not meet performance standards. To understand and control the factors controlling the deposition process, this paper presents a simulation approach to predict the growth behavior of a Ti-film deposited on substrates during the bombardment of the target with argon ions at low pressure. The simulation of the deposition process consists of several Monte Carlo simulations, which include predicting the source of the atoms flow from the target surface and tracing its trajectories through the vacuum chamber until it falls or reaches the surface of the substrates, then predicting the thickness distribution and topography of film. After conducting a comparison between simulation predictions and experimental data, it was found that the measurements obtained using the Profilometer, Scanning Electron Microscope, and Atomic Force Microscopy were relatively close. The results indicate that substrate rotation during deposition leads to a thinner film that is more uniform and less rough, it was also found that the coefficient of variation in the film thickness distribution was improved from 3.96% in the case of a non-rotating substrate to 0.33% in the case of a rotating substrate. The proposed approach can be used to improve the design of magnetron sputtering systems and to provide theoretical guidance for optimizing the thickness distribution and topographical characteristics of the performance specifications of high-quality film without economic constraints.