In this work X-ray reflectivity (XRR) was implemented as a characterization technique
to study very thin films produced at CENIMAT. Three groups of samples were analysed:
thin films of Ta2O5, thin films Ta2O5 mixed with SiO2 (TaSiO) and thin films of zinc-tin
oxide (ZTO). Spectroscopic ellipsometry was used as a complementary technique and
all results were compared with the results of profilometry and Rutherford backscattering
spectrometry (RBS).
A good agreement was found between the thicknesses obtained by all techniques.
XRR revealed to be a better technique than SE to determine the thickness of the native
oxide of silicon. In the same way the determination of the roughness was more accurate
with XRR.
The objective of the characterization of the TaSiO and Ta2O5 samples was to study
the influence of the radio frequency (rf) power in the Ta2O5 target during the sputtering
process. In the case of the TaSiO samples an increase of the rf power resulted in an
increase of the percentage of Ta2O5 and Ar in the films, as well as an increase of the
density and dielectric constant. On the other side, the short-range order decreased. With the increase of the rf power the Ta2O5 samples only revealed a lower short-range order.
The aim of the characterization of the ZTO was to study of the effect of rf power in
the ZTO target during the sputtering process, as well as the influence of the H2 and O2
flows. The increase of the rf power resulted in denser films with lower short-range order.
In a less clear way a change in the H2 influenced the films thickness. The increase of theO2 flow had as a result films less dense and less rough
