On performance of nano-resonators produced by magnetron sputtering deposition

TL;DR

This study investigates how the processing force during magnetron sputtering affects the microstructure and performance of FeNiCr alloy nanomechanical resonators, highlighting the importance of process parameters in design.

Contribution

It introduces a relation between processing force and nanomaterial properties, with experimental validation for FeNiCr resonators, linking sputtering conditions to resonator performance.

Findings

Processing force influences surface texture and thickness.

Natural frequencies vary with sputtering parameters.

Relations derived for microstructure evolution.

Abstract

Magnetron sputtering is a perfect technique for processing nanomaterials for engineering and medical applications. A material can be processed with specific mechanical properties, microstructure, and surface texture by controlling the parameters of magnetron sputtering. Therefore, studies should be conducted on investigating the processing conditions on the performance of nanomaterials processed by magnetron sputtering. In this study, effects of the processing force on performance of micro/nano-resonators produced by magnetron sputtering are revealed. The processing force is defined as the ratio of the sputtering power-to-the substrates traveling velocity. By comparing the substrate traveling velocity to the deposition rate of the sputtered particles, relations are derived for the thickness and surface texture evolutions with the processing force. The coefficients of these relations are experimentally determined for mechanical resonators made of FeNiCr alloy. Then, the variations of the natural frequencies of these resonators with the processing force of magnetron sputtering and the deposition rate of the sputtered particles are depicted. It is demonstrated that special considerations should be given for the effects of the processing conditions when design mechanical resonators produced by magnetron sputtering.