Real-time kinetic modeling of YSZ thin film roughness deposited by e-beam evaporation technique

In the present study, the process of yttrium-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) thin films deposition on optical quartz (SiO2) substrates using e-beam deposition technique controlling electron gun power is analyzed. It was found that electron gun power influences the non-monotonous kinetics of YSZ film surface roughness. The evolution of YSZ thin film surface roughness was analyzed by a kinetic model. The model is based on the rate equations and includes processes of surface diffusion of the adatoms and the clusters, nucleation, growth and coalescence of islands in the case of thin film growth in Volmer–Weber mode. The analysis of the experimental results done by modeling explains non-monotonous kinetics and dependence of the surface roughness on the electron gun power. A good quantitative agreement with experimental results is obtained taking into account the initial roughness of the substrate surface and the amount of the clusters in the flux of evaporated material.