In-situ evolution and aging of ultrathin sputter deposited silver films

Silver (Ag) thin films deposited by magnetron sputtering are widely utilized in optics, antimicrobial coatings, and flexible organic electronics. However, the inherent three-dimensional (3D) island growth of Ag complicates the fabrication of ultrathin, continuous films. This study employs in-situ grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) alongside ex-situ scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to examine the early-stage morphology and aging behavior of ultrathin Ag films. Our results reveal ongoing kinetic processes during and after deposition, including island coalescence and reshaping. Morphological evolution further accelerates under ambient storage conditions. Notably, high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) distinctly influences growth morphology and aging kinetics, resulting in island size, density, and shape differences compared to direct current magnetron sputtering. These findings provide comprehensive insights into the mechanisms governing discontinuous Ag film formation and post-deposition evolution, offering valuable guidance for optimizing thin film fabrication in advanced technological applications.