Sputtered molybdenum films: Structure and property evolution with film thickness

•Mo films with different thicknesses deposited by magnetron sputtering.•Structure evolution vs. film thickness was established.•Film thickness >0.7 μm needed for constant stress and electrical resistivity.

Molybdenum thin films are widely used as e.g. diffusion barriers in very large-scale integrated circuits and thin film transistor displays. For better understanding of the evolution of structure and properties, films with different thicknesses have been grown on glass substrates by magnetron sputter deposition. A comprehensive relationship between film thickness, microstructure, stresses and resistivity could be established. With increasing film thickness, growth of (110) orientated domains is promoted, while resistivity as well as residual stress reach constant levels for films thicker than 0.7 μm.