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Residual stress and microstructure of as-deposited and annealed, sputtered yttria-stabilized zirconia thin films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

David J. Quinn ,
Brian Wardle  and
S. Mark Spearing
David J. Quinn*
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
Brian Wardle
Affiliation:
Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
S. Mark Spearing
Affiliation:
School of Engineering Sciences, Southampton University, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: djquinn@mit.edu
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Abstract

The microstructure and residual stress of sputter-deposited yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) films are presented as a function of thickness (5–1000 nm), deposition pressure (5–100 mTorr), and post-deposition temperature. The as-deposited residual stress of YSZ ranges from −1.4 GPa to 100 MPa with variations in sputtering conditions. Transitions from compressive to tensile stress are identified with variations in working pressure and film thickness. The origins and variations in as-deposited stress are determined to be from tensile stress due to grain coalescence/growth, and compressive stresses are due to forward sputtering/“atomic peening” of target atoms. The evolution of residual stress with post-deposition annealing shows a tensile stress hysteresis of up to 1 GPa for films deposited at low working pressures. This hysteresis is believed to be due to crystallization and the diffusive relief of compressive stresses initially generated by atomic peening during deposition. Discussion and evaluation of other common residual stress mechanisms are presented throughout.

Keywords

SputteringThin filmZr
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 23 , Issue 3 , March 2008 , pp. 609 - 618
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2008

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References

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