Ion-Assisted Physical Vapor Deposition: Principles and Applications

Many physical vapor deposition (PVD) methods involve the energetic particle bombardment of growing film surfaces. While the source, energy and flux of such energetic particles strongly depend on the PVD method, the basic processes they induce on the film surface are similar. Such an irradiation has a beneficial effect on different structural properties of coatings or thin films such as densification, grain morphology, adhesion, texture. This has a direct impact on the mechanical, tribological, electrical, optical or chemical performance of such films.

The aim of this talk is to give a brief overview on (i) different PVD techniques involving energetic particles and (ii) basic ion-solid interaction processes and how they influence the thin film growth process. Some recent results of our group on the ion-assisted growth of nanocomposite thin films will be also presented.