Preparation of stable Ag thin films by the use of very thin surfaceand/or interface layers

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Silver (Ag) with the lowest electrical resistivity (ρ= 1.59 Μω. Cm at 293 K) is prone to agglomerate at high temperatures, which causes an increase in electrical resistivity. In order to take full advantage of Ag thin films, the improvement in the thermal stability of Ag thin films is very important.We have searched materials which are suitable for surface or interface layers to suppress agglomeration in Ag thin films. The most important properties of theappropriate surface layers for the suppression of agglomeration in Ag films are a highcohesive energy or a high Gibbs free energy of formation of the oxide, and a low solid solubility in Ag. The results indicated that Ti and Nb interface layers resulted inthermally stable Ag films by improving the adhesion strength of the Ag films to SiO2substrates and by enhancing the crystal orientation of Ag(111). It was determined thatappropriate interface layer metals for Ag film should have a large Gibbs free energy of formation for the oxide and an appropriate atomic diameter ratio.