Abstract

Thin films of ZnSe commonly have a compressive stress when deposited on fused silica substrates. We have found that this stress decreases if oxygen is admitted to the coating chamber during deposition. At a pressure of ~1.4 × 10^-4 Torr, the stress changes from compressive to tensile and at this pressure stress-free films can be made. Similar results have been attained by ad mitting nitrogen or argon to the chamber. This suggests that the cause of the change in stress is not chemical but rather physical in nature.

© 1989 Optical Society of America