Origins of Beta Tantalum in Sputtered Coatings
Abstract
The source of beta tantalum formation in sputtered coatings has been a subject of controversy going back over thirty years. For every research paper in which the cause is seemingly identified, there are others, which seem to disprove it. It has been very difficult to find a unifying theory that explains the contradictory results found in these papers. The purpose of this report is to compile the vast amount of information gathered from the literature so that connections can be made between the many parameters involved. Some of the most recent work has attempted to relate the energetics (i.e., atom/ion energy) of the plasma to the alpha right arrow beta transition. It has been shown that the energetics of the plasma can relate to the most crucial sputtering parameters. The most significant feature of the use of plasma energy to explain the alpha right arrow beta transition is that it relates the formation of beta-tantalum to a quantifiable measure.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA396715
Entities
People
- C. P. Mulligan
Organizations
- United States Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center