Untersuchungen zu Zusammenhängen zwischen Schichtmorphologie und Herstellungsbedingungen an amorphen Siliziumnitridschichten

Electron microscopic investigations of magnetron sputtered amorphous SiN_x-coatings showed, that morphology changes with variation of working gas pressure and substrate position corresponding to the Structure Zone Model by Thornton. Increasing working gas pressure and displacement of substrate to larger radial distances influence columnar structures. Energy of particles and adatom mobility decrease with increasing pressure. In positions far from the centre of deposition there are more particles with oblique incidence. This leads to a shadowing mechanism. Columnar diameter increases and packing density decreases. The influence of working gas pressure and angle of incidence bears also an effect on the behaviour of mechanical stress. Coatings with coarse columnar structures have lower mechanical stress than coatings with fine columnar structures.