High-rate sputter deposition of chromium oxide thin films using water vapor as a reactive gas

The use of water vapor as a reactive gas under metallic mode for high rate sputter deposition of chromium oxide thin films have been studied in the course of this research. Chromium oxide (Cr2O3) thin films were deposited by an RF magnetron sputtering system with chromium metal as a target and argon (Ar) and water vapor (H2O) as the sputtering gas. Water was injected to the target or substrate surface at an H2O flow ratio of H2O/(H2O + Ar), varied from 0 to 100%. A liquid nitrogen cold trap was placed in the sputtering chamber to adsorb non-reacted H2O molecules.