Changes in Preferred Orientation of Pt Thin Films Deposited by dc Magnetron Sputtering Using Ar/O₂ Gas Mixtures

(200)-oriented Pt thin films were deposited on SiO₂/Si substrates by dc magnetron sputtering using Ar/O₂ gas mixtures. Oxygen incorporation into Pt films changed deposition rate, resistivity, stress, and preferred orientation of the films. Increase in film resistivity and decrease in tensile stress were presumed to be the results of the incorporated oxygen into grain boundaries, while the change of preferred orientation resulted from the oxygen incorporation into the Pt lattice. The preferential growth of (200) planes with less total strain energy from the incorporated oxygen resulted in strong (200) preferred orientation in Pt films.