Reactive magnetron sputtering of uniform yttria-stabilized zirconia coatings in an industrial setup

Abstract

Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) thin films were deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering in an industrial scale setup on silicon wafers as well as commercial NiO-YSZ fuel cell anodes.The texture, morphology, and composition of the deposited films were investigated as a function of deposition parameters. Homogeneous coatings could be deposited over large areas within the coating zone, which is important for industrial applications. The use of substrate bias during film growth was identified as a key parameter to promote less columnar coatings and made it possible to tailor the texture of films deposited on Si. Bias voltages ≤ -40 V resulted in highly <200> textured YSZ films, intermediate bias voltages of -50 V to -70 V in <220> textured films and high bias voltages (≥ -90 V) in a mixed orientation. In contrast, films grown on NiO-YSZ were seen to be randomly orientated when deposited at substrate bias voltages ≤ -30 V. When bias was further increased the film took over the orientation of underlying substrate due to substrate template effects.

Structural evolution in reactive RF magnetron sputtered (Cr,Zr)2O3 coatings during annealing

“…YSZ is also used as implant material due to its toughness and biocompatibility [28]. For its ionic conductance, the cubic fluoride form is used as electrolyte in solid-oxide fuel cells [29][30][31][32][33] and as material with reversible oxygen storage capacity when alloyed with CeO 2 [34,35].…”

Magnetron deposition of yttria-stabilised zirconia electrolyte for solid oxide fuel cells

“…As mentioned above, S?nderby et al [36] demonstrated the possibility of forming YSZ electrolytes with a thickness on NiO/YSZ anodes of (13 × 13) cm 2 area. However, a whole fuel cell was not produced and studied in this work.…”

“…Manufacturing process of the electrolyte The possibility of formation of 2µm -thick YSZ electrolytes on NiO/YSZ anodes with an area of (13 × 13) cm 2 was first shown in [36]. The substrate temperature during the sputtering process was maintained at 500 o C .…”

Deposition of yttria-stabilized zirconia thin films by high power impulse magnetron sputtering and pulsed magnetron sputtering

“…However, it has previously been shown that ion bombardment promotes <111> or <220> texture or a mixture thereof as planes in all other directions have higher etch rates and are successfully eliminated by the shadowing process during the growth of the columns [30]. It should be noted that for films deposited on NiO-YSZ substrates an overall texturing is not to be expected as YSZ films previously have been seen to grow epitaxial on the individual grains in the substrate [31]. Therefore, films grown on the two different substrates are not directly comparable.…”