Influence of the deposition method on interdiffusion of Ni/Ag bilayer thin films

In this study, it has been shown that the dependence of interdiffusion phenomena in metallic thin films is largely related to the deposition method. Films were prepared by evaporation and unbalanced magnetron sputtering onto glass substrates. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry was used for quantitative compositional analysis of thin films, determination of structures and observation of interdiffusion in bilayer Ni/Ag films. The structures of the films were monitored by x-ray diffraction. The experimental results confirm that evaporated films are in a state of tensile stress, which increases the vacancy concentration and diffusion, whereas sputtered films are under compressive stress, which decreases the vacancy concentration, thus preventing diffusion. (paper)