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Reactive sputtering

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In reactive sputtering, the sputtered particles undergo a chemical reaction before coating the substrate. The deposited film is therefore different from the target material. The chemical reaction that the particles undergo is with a reactive gas introduced into the sputtering chamber such as oxygen or nitrogen; oxide and nitride films are often fabricated using reactive sputtering. The composition of the film can be controlled by varying the relative pressures of the inert and reactive gases. Film stoichiometry is an important parameter for optimizing functional properties like the stress in SiN_x and the index of refraction of SiO_x.