Structure and internal stress of Au films deposited on SiO₂/Si(100) and mica by dc sputtering

Au films with a thickness of about 300 nm were deposited on SiO₂/Si(100) and mica substrates by dc sputtering. X-ray diffraction spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy were used to analyze the structure and internal stress of the Au films. The films grown on SiO₂/Si(100) show a preferential orientation of 111 in the growth direction. However the films grown on mica have mixture crystalline orientations of 111, 200, 220 and 311 in the growth direction and the orientations of 200 and 311 are slightly more than those of 111 and 220. An internal stress in the films grown on SiO₂/Si(100) is tensile. For Au films grown on mica the internal stresses in the 111- and 311-orientation grains are compressive while those in the 200- and 220-orientation grains are tensile. Au films grown SiOJSi(100) have some very large grains with a size of about 400 nm and have a wider grain size distribution compared with those grown on mica.