Abstract

The performance of platinum films under elevated temperatures is critically influenced by the properties of their transition layers. In this study, 200 nm thick Pt film with Ti, Zr, and Hf bilayer each with a thickness of 200 nm (BF-Pt/M, M = Ti, Zr and Hf) were prepared using magnetron sputtering and subjected to annealing at different temperatures in vacuum. The effects of different transition layers on the microstructure and properties of the Pt films were systematically investigated. The results indicate that diffusion of the transition layers into the Pt layer occurred after annealing. After 1173 K annealing, significant diffusion of Ti separates Pt layer into two sublayers, while both Zr and Hf layers maintain well-defined bilayer structure. After 773 K annealing, grain growth and recrystallization were observed on the surfaces of all films, while varying degrees of agglomeration were observed at 1173 K. The BF-Pt/Ti exhibited severe agglomeration and void formation annealing at 1173 K and 1273 K, leading to a significant degradation in film integrity. In contrast, the BF-Pt/Zr and BF-Pt/Hf maintained better integrity under the same conditions. All films showed a similar trend in resistivity changes, a slight increase at 773 K, followed by a sharp rise at higher temperatures. The BF-Pt/Hf exhibited the lowest resistivity and the best thermal stability, while the BF-Pt/Ti showed a significant increase in resistivity due to severe diffusion and agglomeration. Compared to BF-Pt/Ti films, BF-Pt/Zr and BF-Pt/Hf films exhibit superior adhesion to the substrate.

Keywords Plus：PLATINUM THIN-FILMS，ELECTRICAL PERFORMANCE，TEMPERATURE，ELECTRODES，STABILITY，BILAYER，SENSOR，MODEL

Published in APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE，Volume713；10.1016/j.apsusc.2025.164239，，DEC 15 2025