A method of enhancing the properties of a thin film on a substrate.

摘要

Properties of a thin film of vacuum deposited material, such as titanium nitride, on a substrate are enhanced by plasma or thermal annealing of the thin film without removing the film from a vacuum environment. The annealing step may be performed in the same vacuum chamber as the sputter deposition, or in a different vacuum chamber, provided the substrate can be transferred between chambers while remaining in a vacuum environment. <IMAGE>