DC Magnetron Sputtering of Indium Thin Films with Varied Power

Direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering is a physical vapor deposition method where select material species from a target are deposited onto a substrate to create a thin film. While indium-based semiconductors are widely used in optoelectronics, photovoltaics, and infrared sensing, elemental indium films have applications in electrical contacts, thermal interfaces, and hermetic seals. In this study, a series of indium films were deposited at various voltages and currents to investigate the effects of deposition power on resulting film characteristics. Crystallographic, morphological, and electrical characterization of deposited films was performed using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and four-point probe measurements. Results showed a general increase in average crystallite size and film thickness, and a decrease in resistivity as deposition power increased from ~70-110 W. While future efforts will focus on further optimization of deposition parameters, these results demonstrate a simple approach to fabricating indium thin films via DC magnetron sputtering.