The d.c. magnetron sputtering behavior of TiO2−x targets with added Fe2O3 or Nd2O3

Targets of 6 mm thickness were prepared from TiO2 powder with different amounts of Fe2O3 and Nd2O3 added. The targets were sintered in a vacuum furnace to obtain sub-stoichiometric rutile TiO2−x. For both added metal oxides, it was found that they were present as titanates forming a second phase. The sputtering behavior of these mixed-oxide targets was investigated. First, the dependence of the discharge voltage and the deposition speed on the argon pressure was measured. Second, the effect of the oxygen addition on the same two parameters was investigated. Both were compared with the dependencies measured for a pure TiO2−x target. All experiments were performed in constant power mode. The results show that Fe2O3 and Nd2O3 exhibit different effects on the sputtering behavior of TiO2−x targets.