Thin films of tetragonal zirconia (3Y-TZ) deposited by reactive sputtering

Thin films of tetragonal zirconia (TZ), comprised of 3 mol% Y2O3 (3Y-TZ), were deposited onto silicon, oxide-coated silicon, slide glass and aluminum oxide substrates by reactive sputtering of metallic targets in mixtures of oxygen and argon. The texture of deposited films varied with oxygen-to-argon flow ratios with which the target surface altered between metal and oxide compound constituents. Thin films of TZP with (200) preferred orientation were obtained from sputter deposition in the metallic mode whereas (111) texture was obtained in the compound mode at ambient temperature. The film texture tends to align along the < 111 > direction while the substrate was heated to 30 degrees C during the deposition. The texture of all these films was stable upon annealing at 900 degrees C in air. The reasons for the texture development are discussed. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.