Ultra-low stress high reflective film by dual-ion-beam sputtering deposition

The correlation between the process parameters of auxiliary ion source and the SiO2 film stress was systematically studied using dual-ion-sputtering deposition. Spectrophotometer and ellipsometer were used to measure the SiO2 film’s transmittance spectrum and reflection ellipsometry. The refractive index and thickness of SiO2 film were obtained by total spectrum inversion calculation. The laser interferometer measures the substrate surface shape to obtain film stress. The experimental result shows that film stress is related to sputtering energy during deposition, high-energy oxygen ion assisted deposition can significantly reduce it and the assisted ion beam voltage plays an important role in controlling it by data normalization analysis. Ultra-low stress high reflective film was prepared by dual-ion-beam sputtering deposition, where stress was 70% lower than traditional film. At the same time, this film can ensure sufficiently high optical quality to keep it reliable and stable in high-precision laser systems.