Metal carbides sputtering method

The various methods of preparation employed to prepare nanoscale clusters include evaporation in inert-gas atmosphere, laser pyrolysis, sputtering techniques, mechanical grinding, plasma techniques and chemical methods (Hadjipanyas Siegel, 1994). In Table 3.5, we list typical materials prepared by inert-gas evaporation, sputtering and chemical methods. Nanoparticles of oxide materials can be prepared by the oxidation of fine metal particles, by spray techniques, by precipitation methods (involving the adjustment of reaction conditions, pH etc) or by the sol-gel method. Nanomaterials based on carbon nanotubes (see Chapter 1) have been prepared. For example, nanorods of metal carbides can be made by the reaction of volatile oxides or halides with the nanotubes (Dai et al., 1995). 

Finally, the carbide phases obtained by reactive sputtering are not the same as those obtained by reaction of the metal film with the gas. In this last case it is indeed possible to be closer to the equilibrium thermodynamic conditions than in the sputtering method. 

A new method of interpreting Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) sputter profiles of transition metal carbides and nitrides is proposed. It is shown that the chemical information hidden in the shape of the peaks, and usually neglected in depth profiles, can be successfully extracted by factor analysis (FA). The various carbide and nitride phases of model samples were separated by application of FA to the spectra recorded during AES depth profiles. The different chemical states of carbon, nitrogen and metal were clearly identified. 

Transition metal carbides can be used as diffusion barriers like transition metal nitrides in multilayer metallization schemes for integrated circuits. Layers on the order of lOOnm are applied and are produced by sputtering methods. The high chemical stability of these transition metal carbides, especially those of group 4, are exploited to prevent interaction of metal or component layers such as silicon, aluminum, and silicides upon thermal load in production processes. This load would cause electrical or even structural deterioration of the multilayer packages. 

Physical processes may also be used to deposit Pt onto various types of supports. An example of this type of approach is the preparation of Pt-metal monolayers supported on low-cost transition metal carbides, prepared by magnetron sputtering of Pt onto thin films of W and Mo carbides. While Pt monolayers were achieved on the thin-film electrode geometry used in this study, uniform deposition of Pt onto high surface area particulate materials or mesoporous structures by these methods remains challenging [48]. 

Ceramic superconducting films are divided into three classes, Bl-type compounds, ternary compounds, and high-temperature oxide superconductors. The Bl-type (NaCl-type structure) compound superconductors consist of nitrides and carbides with 5A, 6A, and 7A transition metals, such as TiN, ZrN, HfN, VN, NbN TaN, MoN, WN, TiC, ZrC, HfC, VC, NbC, TaC, MoC, WC, NbNi tC t, hex-MoN, and hex-MoC. Regarding the thin-film material, it is notable that NbN and NbN] (C ( (x = 0.08 and 0.15) have superconducting critical temperature, T, values of 17.3 and 17.8 K, respectively. The deposition method used is almost always sputtering or CVD. The properties of films deposited by the former method are superior. A highly reliable Josephson device was realized with an NbN film. 

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