Physical properties of fe₃si films coated through facing targets sputtering after microwave plasma treatment

Fe₃Si films are deposited onto the Si(111) wafer using sputtering with parallel facing targets. Surface modification of the deposited Fe₃Si film is conducted by using a microwave plasma treatment under an Ar atmosphere at different powers of 50, 100 and, 150 W. After the Ar plasma treatment, the crystallinity of the coated Fe₃Si films is enhanced, in which the orientation peaks, including (220), (222), (400), and (422) of the Fe₃Si are sharpened. The extinction rule suggests that the B₂–Fe₃Si crystallites are the film’s dominant composition. The stoichiometry of the Fe₃Si surfaces is marginally changed after the treatment. An increase in microwave power damages the surface of the Fe₃Si films, resulting in the generation of small pinholes. The roughness of the Fe₃Si films after being treated at 150 W is insignificantly increased compared to the untreated films. The untreated Fe₃Si films have a hydrophobic surface with an average contact angle of 101.70^◦ . After treatment at 150 W, it turns into a hydrophilic surface with an average contact angle of 67.05^◦ because of the reduction in the hydrophobic carbon group and the increase in the hydrophilic oxide group. The hardness of the untreated Fe₃Si is ~9.39 GPa, which is kept at a similar level throughout each treatment power.