Abstract: Thin films of zirconium oxide were deposited on Si (100) substrates by reactive radio frequency magnetron sputtering. The films were characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM) to investigate the variation of surface morphology and microstructure with oxygen partial pressures and deposition temperatures, respectively. With the increase in oxygen partial pressure ratio from 7% to 100%, the surface roughness approximatively linearly increases, and the phase transition of the films is a-ZrO₂ (amorphous)→ a-ZrO₂ with a little m-ZrO₂ (monoclinic)
→m-ZrO₂+t-ZrO₂ (tetragonal)→m-ZrO₂. For deposition temperatures ranging from room temperature to 550℃, the phase transition of the films is a-ZrO₂ (below 250℃)→m-ZrO₂ with a little a-ZrO₂ (450℃)→m-ZrO₂ with a little t-ZrO₂ (550℃).
According to the results on the structure and surface morphology of ZrO₂ thin films, the dependence of deposition temperature on surface evolution and its physical mechanism are discussed also.

Key words: ZrO2 films, RF magnetron sputtering, film growth, microstructure