Nickel thin films with bulk-like properties formed by the ion-beam sputtering – deposition cycles

•S.A. Sharko, A.I. Serokurova, N.N. Novitskii, V.A. Ketsko, A.I. Stognij.•Nanosized bulk-like nickel films were obtained by ion-beam sputtering – deposition.•Granulation suppression at early formation stage ensures layer-by-layer film growth.•Ni films after ten cycles ‘deposition – partial sputtering’ are more homogeneous.•The root-mean-square roughness of metal films decreases to a level of less than 1 nm. Thin nickel films up to 50 nm thick with bulk-like properties were obtained on quartz and silicon substrates with the ion-beam method by tenfold applying the ‘deposition – partial sputtering of a nanosized metal layer’ cycle. The use of this technique ensures layer-by-layer film growth due to both the granulation suppression at the early stage of formation through the influence of high-energy metal atoms during film deposition, and argon ions during its partial sputtering. This creates conditions for the strong adhesion of the metal layer to the substrate and, therefore, leads to the growth of continuous nickel films with a high degree of homogeneity. Transition from single to multiple deposition causes a decrease in the root-mean-square roughness of the film surface, as well as an improvement in the thermal stability of the film/substrate structure. The results of optical studies show that the films become more optically homogeneous. The decisive role in their formation is played by the elastic collision of incident metal atoms with stationary atoms of the substrate and the growing metal film.