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The residual stress in ZrO2 thin films prepared by electron beam evaporation was measured by viewing the substrate deformation using an optical interferometer. The influences of deposition temperature and deposition rate on the residual stress have been studied. The results show that residual stress in ZrO2 thin films varies from tensile to compressive depending on deposition temperature and deposition rate, respectively. The value of compressive stress increases with the increasing of deposition temperature and deposition rate. At the same time, X-ray diffraction measurement was carried out in order to examine the crystallization behavior of the ZrO2 thin films as a function of deposition temperature and deposition rate. The relationship between the residual stress and the microstructure has also been discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) thin films were deposited on borosilicate crown glass substrates using electron beam evaporation technique and controlling technological parameters: deposition rate and oxygen partial pressure. Spectrophotometry, optical interferometry and X-ray diffraction were used to investigate how the thin film optical properties, residual stresses, and structure depend on these parameters. The results showed that the deposition rate had a significant influence on the increase of the refractive index of YSZ thin films while the oxygen partial pressure had less influence on it. In all samples, the tensile stress increased with the increasing of deposition rate and the decreasing of oxygen partial pressure. Meanwhile, all deposited films were poly-crystallizations, while crystallite size and preferential orientation of YSZ thin films changed as a function of deposition rate and oxygen partial pressure. The variations of the optical spectra and residual stress corresponded to the evolution of the film structures induced by the deposition parameters. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]