Electrical and Optical Properties of Silver Films Deposited by High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering

JIGANG LI, University of Nebraska at Lincoln

Document Type Article

A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of The Graduate College at the University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements For the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Major: Engineering (Materials Engineering). Under the Supervision of Professor Suzanne Rohde.
Lincoln, Nebraska: July, 2008
Copyright © 2008 Jigang Li.

Abstract

Silver and silver-based multilayer films can be used in semiconductor, Low-E glass, solar cells and flat panel display applications. Thin silver films have been successfully deposited on different substrates by High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HIPIMS). In-situ spectroscopy ellipsometer (SE) was used to study the growth process and resistivity of Ag films. The combination of low substrate temperature and suitable ion flux resulted in lower coalescence thicknesses. The optical properties of ZnO/Ag/ZnO multilayer films with silver layer deposited by HIPIMS were studied using SE and infrared SE. The results were then compared with multilayer films with silver layers deposited by conventional DC magnetron sputtering. For ZnO/Ag/ZnO multilayer films, the Ag-HIPIMS multilayer films showed lower resistivity and lower IR transmittance than DC magnetron sputtered films. The optical properties of ZnO/Ag/ZnO multilayer films with different silver layer thickness deposited by HIPIMS were also investigated, with respect to their potential in an array of optical applications.

Advisor: Suzanne L. Rohde