ME 478
THIN FILM MATERIALS CHARACTERIZATION AND PROPERTIES

Course Description

This course covers the basic techniques and fundamental processes of thin film deposition. The kinetic theory of gases and the basics of vacuum science and technology are introduced to provide students with an understanding of gas transport under high vacuum conditions and at atmospheric pressure. The fundamental processes occurring during thin film deposition, such as adsorption, surface diffusion, nucleation, and microstructure development, are addressed using relevant theory and models. Major thin film deposition processes such as evaporation, sputtering, pulsed laser deposition, and chemical routes are presented with an emphasis on the fundamentals and applications of each technique. Students interested in disciplines such as electronic and photonic materials, metallurgy, engineering science and mechanics, electrical engineering, and chemical engineering will benefit significantly from this course.

Topics

• Vacuum science and technology and the kinetic theory of gases
• Adsorption, desorption, and surface diffusion processes
• Nucleation: homogeneous and heterogeneous
• Microstructure development: structure zone model
• Epitaxy
• Thin film properties and characterization
• Defects in thin films
• Physical vapor deposition and chemical routes to thin films

Learning Outcomes

The student, upon completion of this course, will be able to:

• Apply the kinetic theory of gases and basic rules of vacuum science in the design of gas transport and vacuum deposition equipment and processes.
• Describe the fundamental surface processes that occur during thin film deposition and their impact on film morphology.
• Select appropriate conditions for the evaporation of metal films of a desired composition, and predict film uniformity given a specific geometry.
• Determine sputtering yield for a material and explain the differences between various sputtering methods.
• Select the most appropriate film deposition process to achieve a desired outcome, given a specific application.