Formation of textured Ni(200) and Ni(111) films by magnetron sputtering

The effect of the working gas pressure ($P\approx$ 1.33–0.09 Pa) and the substrate temperature ($T_{s}\approx$ 77–550 K) on the texture and the microstructure of nickel films deposited by magnetron sputtering onto SiO$_2$/Si substrates is studied. Ni(200) films with a transition type of microstructure are shown to form at growth parameters $P\approx$ 0.13–0.09 Pa and $T_{s}\approx$ 300–550 K, which ensure a high migration ability of nickel adatoms on a substrate. This transition type is characterized by a change of the film structure from quasi-homogeneous to quasi-columnar when a film reaches a critical thickness. Ni(111) films with a columnar microstructure and high porosity form at a low migration ability, which takes place at $P\approx$ 1.33–0.3 Pa or upon cooling a substrate to $T_{s}\approx$ 77 K.