We describe a novel means for the production of optically active planar waveguides. The technique makes use of a low energy plasma deposition. Cathodic-arc-produced metal plasmas are used for the metallic components of the films and gases are added to form compound films. Here we discuss the synthesis of A12-xErxO3 thin films. The erbium concentration (x) can vary from 0 to 100% and the thickness of the film can be from Angstroms to microns. In such material, at high active center concentration (x=l% to 20%), erbium ions give rise to room temperature 1.53μm emission which has minimum loss in silica-based optical fibers. With this technique, multilayer integrated planar waveguide structures can be grown, such as Al2O3/Al2-xErO3/A12O3/Si, for example.

WSix films are used extensively for contact, interconnect, and, in some cases, diffusion and Schottky barriers in semiconductor devices1. The electrical and barrier properties of these films are affected by a variety of factors, such as film stoichiometry, morphology, impurities, etc. This paper will address the capabilities and limitations of a variety of techniques which are frequently used to characterize WSix films. Techniques which were studied include: Dynamic and Static Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS), Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry and Elastic Recoil Detection (RBS/ERD), Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence (TXRF), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). Film characteristics which were studied included surface morphology; grain structure; film stoichiometry; surface and interface oxide thickness and composition; and surface, bulk, and interface impurity concentrations including metallic, atmospheric, and dopant impurities. Cross correlation between the techniques was performed whenever possible in order to compare the relative accuracy of the techniques as well.

A vacuum arc deposition technique for the production of multilayer structures is described. In the preliminary work described here, we used carbon as the low Z element and a heavy metal such as W or Pt as the high Z species to obtain periodic multilayers which can be used for X-ray reflectors. The plasma necessary for the deposition was produced by two vacuum arc plasma sources, each coupled to magnetic filters to prevent macroparticle transport to and contamination of the films. The multilayer structures were investigated by Auger spectroscopy and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, and several multilayer samples were tested by measuring the specular reflectance and off-specular scattering, and by comparing these data with calculations using a Fresnel reflectance model. Analysis of X-ray results indicate that smooth, well defined layers are formed with reasonably small interface widths. With improvements in layer thickness reproducibility, it appears that vacuum arc deposition could produce useful multilayer X-ray interference mirrors.

The pitting corrosion behavior in deaerated 0.05M NaCl solution of titanium ion implanted aluminum has been investigated. The samples were implanted with Ti ions using a Mevva high current metal ion implantation facility at doses ranging from 2 x 10(15) to 2 x 10(17) ions/cm2 and with ion energy from 30 to 120 keV, and the resultant Ti depth profiles were measured with Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS). The pit density was decreased by up to two orders of magnitude relative to the unimplanted samples. The pitting potential increase ranged from 0.1 to 0.3 V. The pitting potential increase of the high dose samples was limited by pit formation at pre-existing scratches whereas the majority of the surface was free of pits to potentials up to 5 V(SCE).

A method for the plasma synthesis of metallic and composite thin films with atomically mixed interfaces is described. A large number of metal species can be applied and surface structures can be fabricated including films of metals and alloys, compounds including ceramics, and tailored multilayers. The added species can be energetically implanted below the surface or built up as a surface film with an atomically mixed interface with the substrate. A vacuum are produced metal plasma is used, and by adding a gas to the plasma region compound films can also be formed. The process parameters can be varied to fabricate a wide range of surface structures at the atomic level. We have demonstrated the method by synthesizing a number of metallic films as well as oxide and nitride films, including those described here: an yttrium film on silicon with an atomically mixed transition zone; a quarter-micron thick film of Pt on and mixed into Al; an Y/Ti multilayer structure in which the first and last layers were ion stitched to the material below; and an Al2O3 film on steel with a mixed bonding layer about 1000 Å thick. Here we describe the background of the technique and the experimental results that we have obtained.