A.Kh. Abduev1, A.Sh. Asvarov2, A.K. Akhmedov3, S.V. Agasieva4, V.V. Belyaev5, D.V. Generalov6, D.V. Nikolaeva7, E.A. Smetanin8, Jonathan Andes Tirado Rosero9

1,4–9 Peoples Friendship University of Russia (Moscow, Russia)

2,3 Institute of Physics of Dagestan Federal Research Center of Russian Academy of Sciences (Makhachkala, Russia) 5 Moscow Region State University (Mytishchi, Russia)

Hysteresis phenomena and other instabilities observed in the course of magnetron deposition of functional thin films of transparent electronics are an obstacle to the creation of commercially attractive industrial technologies. At the same time, it has been found that magnetron sputtering can be accompanied by self-organization processes in the plasma discharge and on the surface of sputtered targets, as well as self-organization processes of the formed thin films. Thus, a contradictory problem arises of eliminating the negative effects of hysteresis phenomena, as well as controlled hysteresis synthesis of periodic structures in order to improve the characteristics of functional films. 

The article is devoted to the study of self-ordering mechanisms in plasma processes and in the formation of ordered multilayer structures (superlattices). An applied task of research is the creation of new technologies for the synthesis of functional layers with improved characteristics based on self-organization phenomena.

A brief review of studies devoted to the processes of self-organization in a magnetron plasma, as well as on the surfaces of both a sputtered target and a deposited film, is given. Based on the analysis performed, conclusions were drawn about the relationship between magnetron discharge instabilities, hysteresis phenomena, and temperature gradients near the target surface with modulation of the intensity of the metal phase flow to the growth surface and with the formation of periodic structures. A model of self-organization during magnetron sputtering of cermet ZnO–SnO2 targets with a Zn–Sn metal component content of 10 wt.% is proposed.

Practical significance – creation of a scientific platform for reproducible magnetron synthesis of perfect functional layers and the development of multilayer coatings for transparent electronics with the participation of self-organizing phenomena.

1. Facchetti A. Transparent Electronics: From Synthesis to Applications. Wiley. 2010. 470 p.
2. Berlin E.V., Seydman L.A. Ionno-plazmennyye protsessy v tonkoplenochnoy tekhnologii. M.:Tekhnosfera. 2010. 527 s. (in Russian).
3. Abduyev A., Magomedov A. Ustoychivyye tokovyye ostsillyatsii pri magnetronnom raspylenii oksidnykh misheney. PZhTF. 1998. T. 24. № 5. S. 58–62. (in Russian).
4. Abduev A., Akhmedov A., Asvarov A., Kanevsky V., Muslimov A., Belyaev V., Generalov D., Nikolaeva D., Tirado J., Frah M.A.A. Advanced Processes for Low-Temperature Formation of Functional Metal Oxide Based Thin Films. Journal of Physics: Conference Series. 2021. V. 2056. P. 012046.
5. Ehiasarian A., Hecimovic A., De Los Arcos T., New R. High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering Discharges: Instabilities and Plasma Self-Organization. Applied Physics Letters. V. 100. № 11. P. 114101.
6. Wang W.-Q., Ji L., Li H.-X., Liu X.-H., Zhou H.-D., Chen J.-M. Controllable Fabrication of Self-Organized Nano-Multilayers in Copper– Carbon Films. Chinese Physics B. 2019. V. 28. № 3. P. 036802.
7. Wu W.Y., Ting J.M. Comparative Study of Self-Assembling of Multilayers using Reactive Sputter Deposition and Mass Selective Ion Beam Deposition. Carbon. 2006. V. 44. P. 1210–1217.
8. Abduev A.K., Asvarov A.S., Akhmedov A.K. Study of ZnO–SnO2 Thin Film Growth Processes. Journal of Nano- and Electronic Physics. 2018. V. 10. № 6. P. 06020.
9. Berg S., Nyberg Т. Fundamenta1 understanding and modeling of reactive sputtering processes. Thin Solid Films. 2005. V. 476. P. 215-230.
10. Shaginyan L., Shaginyan V., Kuzmichev A., Mironov M. On the Target Surface Temperature During dc Magnetron Sputtering. Eur. Phys. J. Appl. Phys. 2020. V. 92. P. 10801.