Quantification of the ion and momentum fluxes toward the substrate during reactive magnetron sputtering

The ion and momentum fluxes toward the growing film during reactive magnetron sputtering of a Ti target in a mixture of Ar and N-2 are determined. For the ion flux and ion energy distribution a retarding field energy analyzer has been employed. The results were confronted with planar and cylindrical probe measurements, two more common used techniques. For the momentum flux, energy resolved mass spectrometry and simulations with the binary collision Monte Carlo code SIMTRA were performed to determine the contribution to this flux by the impact of ions and sputtered and reflected particles. Based on the quantification of both fluxes, it can be concluded that there is a relation between the hardness and elastic modulus of the TiN films and the momentum flux. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.3031527]