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Streamlined route to low-stress metal films advancements open doors for future electronic devices

Scientists from Tokyo Metropolitan University employ HiPIMS technology to fabricate tungsten films with record-low tension. Precise control over a 'substrate bias pulse' within microseconds facilitated the reduction of impurities and flaws, leading to the creation of crystalline films...

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Smooth route to tension-free metallic coatings opens door for future electronics technology
Smooth route to tension-free metallic coatings opens door for future electronics technology

Streamlined route to low-stress metal films advancements open doors for future electronic devices

In a groundbreaking development, researchers at Tokyo Metropolitan University have successfully developed a new method for creating thin films of tungsten with remarkably low levels of film stress. This breakthrough, achieved through the use of High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HiPIMS), promises efficient pathways for creating metallic films in the electronics industry.

The research, published in the Journal of Applied Physics (DOI: 10.1063/5.0042608), involves the optimization of a "substrate bias pulse" timing with microsecond precision. By applying a synchronized "substrate bias" pulse, the researchers can selectively accelerate metal ions, resulting in denser films with large grains and low film stress.

In the case of HiPIMS, the voltage is pulsed in short, powerful bursts. This unique method allows for the optimized timing of a "substrate bias pulse," which minimizes impurities and defects in the films, resulting in crystalline films with stress levels as low as 0.03 GPa, similar to those achieved through annealing.

Sputtering, a technique where a high voltage is applied across a metallic target and a substrate to form a charged metal vapor, is used in the process. The team found that a delay of 60 microseconds in the substrate bias pulse minimizes the amount of gas ending up in the film and efficiently delivers high levels of kinetic energy.

The research was supported by the Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (No.17KK0136) of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), the Swedish Research Council (No. VR 2018-04139), and the Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linköping University (Faculty Grant SFO-Mat-LiU No. 2009-00971).

This new method may be applied to other metals, potentially bringing big gains for the electronics industry. The research confirms the efficiency of the new method for creating metallic films, marking a significant step forward in the field.

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