Structure and properties of zirconia (ZrO₂) films fabricated by plasma-assisted cathodic arc deposition

Zirconia (ZrO2) thin films were prepared on Si (1 0 0) substrates by plasma-assisted cathodic arc deposition under different processing conditions. The structure and phase composition of the zirconia films were investigated by x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Their properties, including the ability to induce the formation of apatite on the surface in a simulated body fluid, and dielectric characteristics were studied. The tetragonal phase predominates in the ZrO2 film and its surface microstructures are strongly dependent on the processing conditions such as substrate temperature and bias applied during plasma-assisted deposition. The influence of the deposition parameters on the microstructures and properties of the ZrO2 films was systematically investigated and our results indicate that the desired attributes and performance of the ZrO2 films can be achieved by optimization of the plasma and deposition processing parameters. Our results provide further insight into producing films of the required quality using plasma-assisted cathodic arc deposition.