Producing Oxides and Nitrides Economically
Titanium, silver, zinc, aluminum or silicon targets can be sputtered in a reactive sputtering process just as in passive sputtering. However, the atoms that form the film on the substrate come from both the target material and the gaseous stage.
Principle of Reactive Sputtering
A reactive gas is introduced into the receiving chamber. Its ionized components react chemically with the target material respective its sputtered atoms. The compounds thus created are deposited on the substrate. For example, ZnO is created during the reactive sputtering of tin in an oxygen plasma, or when sputtering aluminum in a nitrogen plasma, A1N is formed. If the reaction takes place on the target, then the reaction product is sputtered.