Film characterization of titanium oxide films prepared by high-power impulse magnetron sputtering

Surface modification with a high power glow discharge is an emerging technology that can be used to improve the surface characteristics. Titanium oxide films are prepared using a high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HPPS-M) glow discharge with a current density of 2 A/cm2 and a power density of 1 kW/cm2. Observing optical emission spectrum confirms that singly-ionized titanium ions are produced in the plasma. Ions are extracted from the HIPIMS glow plasma by a substrate placed near the plasma source. It is found that the substrate is immersed in the HPPS-M glow plasma. The film is deposited by a HPPS-M, and the results are compared to those of magnetron sputtering operated by a stationary dc power source. The deposition rate is lower by HPPS-M than that by DC-MS. The main structure of the films is rutile, however an anatase structure is also observed. The mixed structure is obtained at an oxygen rate as low as 5%. Anatase structure is not significantly observed in HPPS-M compared to that in DC-MS. The intensity of the XRD profiles becomes weaker with increasing the substrate position due to the collisions of metal species with the plasma species and the background gas particles. The deposition rate of the prepared titanium oxide film is significantly influenced by the production rate of titanium ions, distance of the substrate, and the gas mixture ratio. With regard to the effect of the gas ratio, the difference in the deposition rate is probably based on the argon ion density available to sputter titanium atoms that would eventually contribute to the titanium oxide film deposition.