Kruhlov I. The effect of complex ion and heat treatment on structural and phase transformations in functional thin films with nanoscale layers of Ni, Cu, Cr, V

The dissertation is devoted to the study of the effect of complex ion and thermal treatment on the regularities of formation of structural-phase states and physico-chemical properties in nanoscale metal films, which are attractive as functional elements of micro- and nanoelectronics, photovoltaics, and microfabrication. It was established that low-energy (400–2000 eV) ion-beam treatment of the surface of Ni/Cu/Cr(V) thin-film systems with a total thickness of 75 nm exerts a passivating effect on the materials of the metal layers, promotes the reduction of oxides at the internal interfaces, and reduces the number of carbon and oxygen impurities, increases the chemical purity of the Cu layer while maintaining an unchanged phase composition due to the absence of diffusion interaction between the components. It was determined that the optimal mode of such low-energy ion-beam treatment from the viewpoint of improving the physicochemical properties of nanoscale compositions is irradiation with Ar+ ions with an energy of 800 eV for 1200 s. A model of reduction processes in nanoscale systems under the ion irradiation based on the long-range effect and ways to improve corrosion resistance are proposed. It was shown for the first time that combining low-energy ion treatment with thermal annealing using optimal modes allows to achieve a number of positive effects, primarily associated with the enhanced properties of the main functional Cu layer, refining it from harmful impurities and reducing oxides. Moreover, we established the conditions allowing to slow down the processes of diffusion interaction of the components and, as a result, to improve the thermal stability of functional thin films with nanolayers of Ni, Cu, Cr, V under the complex ion-thermal influence compared to traditional annealing. It has been demonstrated that ion-beam treatment under optimal conditions can improve the corrosion resistance of nanoscale film compositions with a conductive layer of Cu, while the complex effect of ion-beam and thermal treatment can improve their adhesive strength and wear resistance. The results obtained in the work are a scientific background for the practical application of a combination of energetical effects of various nature (in particular, ion-beam/plasma and thermal treatment) for the purposeful formation of structural-phase states, stabilization of structural properties, and the achievement of improved operational characteristics of nanoscale condensed metal materials for the needs of micro- and nanoelectronics, photovoltaics, microfabrication.