Structure and Electrical Properties of Sputtered Films of Hafnium and Hafnium Compounds

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Abstract
The electrical properties of 2000–3000‐Å‐thick films of hafnium, hafnium nitrides, and hafnium dioxide have been studied. The properties of these films can be related to film structure and composition. Conditions were established under which hafnium films can be prepared by dc sputtering in pure argon with density and resistivity approaching that of pure bulk hafnium. Additions of low concentrations of nitrogen to the argon sputtering atmosphere result in the deposition of films consisting of a solid solution of nitrogen in hafnium. At intermediate nitrogen concentrations films of HfN, a compound with metallic properties, are obtained. Higher nitrogen concentrations in the sputtering atmosphere result in films of nonstoichiometric HfN containing excess nitrogen and finally of films of a higher nitride of hafnium having semiconducting properties. Sputtering in argon‐oxygen mixtures above a critical oxygen concentration results in the deposition of HfO2 films with insulating properties.

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