US5834374A
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Method for controlling tensile and compressive stresses and mechanical problems in thin films on substrates
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1995-05-01
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Granted: 1998-11-10
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Expires: 2015-05-01
Abstract
Abstract A method for forming thin films and controlling the tensile and compressive stresses and mechanical properties of the thin film. The method includes forming an alloy on a substrate having a solvent metal and a solute, then annealing the substrate and the alloy in one of an oxidizing, nitriding and carborizing ambient so that the ambient reacts with the solute to form respectively one of an oxide, nitride and carbide precipitates of the solute in the solvent. The solute is selected so that the precipitates formed may be used to control the mechanical properties of the solvent.
Inventors
- 👤 Cyril Cabral, Jr.
- 👤 Lawrence Alfred Clevenger
- 👤 François Max d'Heurle
- 👤 Qi-Zhong Hong
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 06:52
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W72/00; H10W72/20; C; C23; C23C; C23C26/00; C23C8/00; C23C8/02; G; G11; G11B; G11B5/00; G11B5/127; G11B5/187; G11B5/255; G11B5/31; G11B5/3103; G11B5/3106; G11B5/3109; G11B5/74; G11B5/78; G11B7/00; G11B7/12; G11B7/122; H10P; H10P95/00; H10W20/00; H10W20/01; H10W20/031; H10W20/40; H10W20/41; H10W20/44; G11B5/313; H10W72/251; H10W72/90; H10W72/951; H10W72/952
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
89 words
A method for forming a thin film on a substrate, which comprises: (a) forming an alloy on the substrate wherein the alloy includes a solvent metal and a solute wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of Al, Ag, Cu, Au, Ti, W, Co, Ni, Cr and Ta; and (b) annealing said substrate and said alloy in one of an oxidizing, nitriding and carburizing ambient, said ambient reacting with said solute to form respectively one of oxide, nitride and carbide precipitates of the solute in the solvent.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
89 words
A method for forming a thin film on a substrate, which comprises: (a) forming an alloy on the substrate wherein the alloy includes a solvent metal and a solute wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of Al, Ag, Cu, Au, Ti, W, Co, Ni, Cr and Ta; and (b) annealing said substrate and said alloy in one of an oxidizing, nitriding and carburizing ambient, said ambient reacting with said solute to form respectively one of oxide, nitride and carbide precipitates of the solute in the solvent.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
100 words
A method for forming a thin film on a substrate, which comprises: (a) forming an alloy on the substrate wherein the alloy includes a solvent metal and a solute, wherein the solute is selected from the group consisting of K, Na, Li, Mg, Cd, Zn, Al, Cr, Ni, Fe, Co, Cu, Si, Ta, Ti, Y, Sn, Mn and rare earth metals; and (b) annealing said substrate and said alloy in one of an oxidizing, nitriding and carburizing ambient, said ambient reacting with said solute to form respectively one of oxide, nitride and carbide precipitates of the solute in the solvent.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
100 words
A method for forming a thin film on a substrate, which comprises: (a) forming an alloy on the substrate wherein the alloy includes a solvent metal and a solute, wherein the solute is selected from the group consisting of K, Na, Li, Mg, Cd, Zn, Al, Cr, Ni, Fe, Co, Cu, Si, Ta, Ti, Y, Sn, Mn and rare earth metals; and (b) annealing said substrate and said alloy in one of an oxidizing, nitriding and carburizing ambient, said ambient reacting with said solute to form respectively one of oxide, nitride and carbide precipitates of the solute in the solvent.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
79 words
A method for forming a thin film on a substrate, which comprises: (a) forming an alloy on the substrate wherein the alloy includes a solvent metal and a solute; and (b) annealing said substrate and said alloy in one of an oxidizing, nitriding and carburizing ambient, said ambient reacting with said solute to form respectively one of oxide, nitride and carbide precipitates of the solute in the solvent; wherein the thin film and the substrate form a magnetic tape.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
79 words
A method for forming a thin film on a substrate, which comprises: (a) forming an alloy on the substrate wherein the alloy includes a solvent metal and a solute; and (b) annealing said substrate and said alloy in one of an oxidizing, nitriding and carburizing ambient, said ambient reacting with said solute to form respectively one of oxide, nitride and carbide precipitates of the solute in the solvent; wherein the thin film and the substrate form a magnetic tape.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
92 words
A method for forming a thin film on a substrate, which comprises: (a) forming an alloy on the substrate wherein the alloy includes a solvent metal and a solute; and (b) annealing said substrate and said alloy in one of an oxidizing, nitriding and carburizing ambient, said ambient reacting with said solute to form respectively one of oxide, nitride and carbide precipitates of the solute in the solvent; wherein the thin film is a thin film conductor on one of a magnetic tape head, an optical disk head, and a magnetic film.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
92 words
A method for forming a thin film on a substrate, which comprises: (a) forming an alloy on the substrate wherein the alloy includes a solvent metal and a solute; and (b) annealing said substrate and said alloy in one of an oxidizing, nitriding and carburizing ambient, said ambient reacting with said solute to form respectively one of oxide, nitride and carbide precipitates of the solute in the solvent; wherein the thin film is a thin film conductor on one of a magnetic tape head, an optical disk head, and a magnetic film.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
80 words
A method for forming a thin film on a substrate, which comprises: forming an alloy on the substrate wherein the alloy includes a solvent metal and a solute; and (b) annealing said substrate and said alloy in one of an oxidizing nitriding and carburizing ambient, said ambient reacting with said solute to form respectively one of oxide, nitride and carbide precipitates of the solute in the solvent; wherein the thin film is used as an optical coating on the substrate.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
80 words
A method for forming a thin film on a substrate, which comprises: forming an alloy on the substrate wherein the alloy includes a solvent metal and a solute; and (b) annealing said substrate and said alloy in one of an oxidizing nitriding and carburizing ambient, said ambient reacting with said solute to form respectively one of oxide, nitride and carbide precipitates of the solute in the solvent; wherein the thin film is used as an optical coating on the substrate.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
119 words
A method for forming a thin film on a substrate to control tensile and compressive stresses of said thin film, said method comprises: forming an alloy on the substrate including a solvent metal and a solute, wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of Al, Ag, Cu, Au, Ti, W, Co, Ni, Cr and Ta; adding an impurity to said alloy which is more reactive with said solute than said solvent; and annealing said substrate and said alloy to react said solute and said impurity to form precipitates of said solute in said solvent, said precipitates having molecules having one of a greater atomic volume and smaller atomic volume with respect to the atoms of said solute.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
119 words
A method for forming a thin film on a substrate to control tensile and compressive stresses of said thin film, said method comprises: forming an alloy on the substrate including a solvent metal and a solute, wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of Al, Ag, Cu, Au, Ti, W, Co, Ni, Cr and Ta; adding an impurity to said alloy which is more reactive with said solute than said solvent; and annealing said substrate and said alloy to react said solute and said impurity to form precipitates of said solute in said solvent, said precipitates having molecules having one of a greater atomic volume and smaller atomic volume with respect to the atoms of said solute.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
130 words
A method for forming a thin film on a substrate to control tensile and compressive stresses of said thin film, said method comprises: forming an alloy on the substrate including a solvent metal and a solute, wherein the solute is selected from the group consisting of K, Na, Li, Mg, Cd, Zn, Al, Cr, Ni, Fe, Co, Cu, Si, Ta, Ti, Y, Sn, Mn and rare earth metals; adding an impurity to said alloy which is more reactive with said solute than said solvent; and annealing said substrate and said alloy to react said solute and said impurity to form precipitates of said solute in said solvent, said precipitates having molecules having one of a greater atomic volume and smaller atomic volume with respect to the atoms of said solute.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
130 words
A method for forming a thin film on a substrate to control tensile and compressive stresses of said thin film, said method comprises: forming an alloy on the substrate including a solvent metal and a solute, wherein the solute is selected from the group consisting of K, Na, Li, Mg, Cd, Zn, Al, Cr, Ni, Fe, Co, Cu, Si, Ta, Ti, Y, Sn, Mn and rare earth metals; adding an impurity to said alloy which is more reactive with said solute than said solvent; and annealing said substrate and said alloy to react said solute and said impurity to form precipitates of said solute in said solvent, said precipitates having molecules having one of a greater atomic volume and smaller atomic volume with respect to the atoms of said solute.
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