Abstract: A method for the production of anisotropic, three dimensional thin films is disclosed. Instead of fabricating away from the routine tendency of vacuum sputter deposited thin films to form discontinuous islands which then accrete into the third dimension, the present method encourages this anisotropic formation. By precisely controlling gun voltage and deposition time, together with spectral control over the plasma forming gas and any reactive gas, with accurate substrate temperature control, and real-time feed-back and control over deposition parameters, two or more materials are sequentially grown on a substrate as distinct discontinuous islands. The resultant film maintains the optimum characteristics of each one of the film's components. Other novel structures made possible by the method of the invention include unique single component and post method deposited component anisotropic thin films.

Abstract: A method for the production of anisotropic, three dimensional thin films is disclosed. Instead of fabricating away from the routine tendency of vacuum sputter deposited thin films to form discontinuous islands which then accrete into the third dimension, the present method encourages this anisotropic formation. By precisely controlling gun voltage and deposition time, together with spectral control over the plasma forming gas and any reactive gas, with accurate substrate temperature control, and real-time feed-back and control over deposition parameters, two or more materials are sequentially grown on a substrate as distinct discontinuous islands. The resultant film maintains the optimum characteristics of each one of the film's components. Other novel structures made possible by the method of the invention include unique single component and post method deposited component anisotropic thin films.