The phase composition of films is crucial for their mechanical, electrical, and optical performance. In sputtering processes, relatively low-growth temperatures and high deposition rates result in limited assembly kinetics.
This in combination with extremely high cooling rates (1013Ks-1) during the condensation of the vapor on the substrate leads to nonequilibrium growth.
Thus, the variation of both thermodynamic and kinetic conditions during deposition enables tailoring of the phase composition.