Simulation of step coverage profiles and film microstructure

Ballistic deposition of hard disks has been used for computer simulation of thin-film growth over a step in a substrate. Up to 16000 particles were deposited per simulation using an angular distribution of particle trajectories representative of planar magnetron sputter deposition and incorporating a surface mobility model for deposited particles. The simulated films show a surface profile evolution during growth and an orientation of columnar film microstructure that approximate the surface profile and microstructure observed in real films of aluminum sputter-deposited over an oxide step on a silicon substrate.<<ETX>>

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