Molybdenum (10%) niobium alloy sputtering target material has a wide application prospect in thin film solar cells and displays. However, due to the absorption of oxygen by the niobium powder in the sintering process, the molybdenum niobium body after sintering has a high oxygen content and a low density. In this paper, Nb carbon coated Nb powder was prepared by chemical gas reaction in CH4 atmosphere. The niobium carbon layer not only helps to prevent the absorption of oxygen, but can be completely consumed by reacting with oxygen at the desired temperature. The effects of preparation method, reaction medium and reaction parameters on the properties of Nb carbon layer were studied. The optimum process conditions were determined as follows: temperature 600℃, reaction time 270min, pressure 0.04 MPa. The surface morphology, chemical composition, distribution and uniformity of the coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, electron probe microanalysis, Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. The content of oxygen and carbon was determined by ONH and CS analyzer. The surface modified niobium powder and molybdenum powder were mixed and sintered in vacuum to obtain Mo-10%Nb billet with oxygen content of 190ppm, carbon content of 290ppm and relative density of 93%. The quality of the billet is obviously better than that of the billet prepared with non-surface modified niobium powder.
For the sputtering coating, it can be simply understood that the target material is bombarded with electrons or high-energy laser, and the surface components are sputtered out in the form of atomic groups or ions, and finally deposited on the surface of the substrate, through the film forming process, and finally the film is formed.
Sputtering coating is divided into many kinds. In general, the difference between the sputtering rate and the evaporation coating is that the sputtering rate will become one of the main parameters. In the laser sputtering PLD coating, the component uniformity is easy to maintain, but the thickness uniformity of atomic scale is relatively poor (because of pulse sputtering), and the control of crystal growth (outer edge) is also relatively general.
As a key component of niobium and its alloy films, niobium sputtering targets are widely used in color TFT LCD tablet computers, optical lenses, electronic imaging, information storage, solar cells, glass coatings and in corrosion resistant environments such as transportation and chemical production.
Today, niobium sputtering targets are mainly used in advanced touch screens, flat panel displays and energy-saving glass surface coatings. It has anti-reflection effect on the glass screen.
