In-plane crystallographic texture of bcc metal thin films on amorphous substrates

Abstract

We show that dramatically different in-plane crystallographic textures can be produced in body centered cubic (bcc) metal thin films deposited under different conditions. The orientation distribution of polycrystalline bcc thin films on amorphous substrates often has a strong (110) fiber texture, and an in-plane texture may develop when deposition takes place with an off-normal incidence flux of energetic ions or atoms. Three orientations in Nb films have been observed in which the energetic particle flux coincides with crystal channeling directions. In-plane orientations in Mo films have also been obtained in magnetron sputtering systems. The selected orientations are reviewed, and examples are given in which the in-plane orientation of Mo deposited in two similar magnetron sputtering systems differs by a 90° rotation. The origins of in-plane texture in rectangular magnetron sputtering systems are discussed.