FABRICATION AND MICROSTRUCTURES OF Al-Li ALLOY PARTICLE-FILMS BY RF-PLASMA TECHNIQUE

The influence of rf-plasma operation on the thin film formation containing small particles for Al-Li alloys mainly have been studied as a function of Ar gas pressure and plasma power by means of a 200kV transmission electron microscope (TEM). Under the non-plasma operation, the transition from continuous thin films to clusters of grape-like small particles occurred at Ar gas pressures above 20Pa. Particles were single crystals with clear crystal habit planes. Under the plasma operation, the influence of gas pressures on the film formation at a plasma power of 5W was also examined. Thin films containing particles below 30Pa and the films containing mainly particles above 40Pa were formed. The prominent change of the average particle size was not recognized. The increase of the plasma powers at 20Pa, which formed particles under non-plasma, suppressed growth of particles, and homogeneous films containing very small particles were fabricated. The electric conductivity showed slight decrease with an increase of plasma power.