ELEMENTAL DIFFUSION IN Ni–Cr FILMS FABRICATED BY DOUBLE-TARGETS MAGNETRON SPUTTERING

Abstract

By controlling the sputtering power, rotated speed of substrate and sputtering time, Ni – Cr films with appropriate composition were fabricated by double-target magnetron co-sputtering techniques. The cross-sectional micrograph and element diffusion of Ni – Cr films deposited on stainless steel substrates by magnetron sputtering have been analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscope (EDS). The results indicate that the according compositions of Ni – Cr films are 58 wt.% Ni and 42 wt.% Cr when the sputtering powers of Ni and Cr targets are 288 W and 280 W, respectively. In the same time, the diffusions of Ni , Fe and Cr were revealed and the diffusion distances of Ni and Cr are calculated by Fick's second law with a Pile-Up law model. The largest diffusion distance is about 885 nm, beyond which the content of Ni and Cr detected by EDS is the same as the substrate.