Usage of nanoceramic based on ZrO2 in fabrication of sources for magnetron sputtering

The paper reports the development of the approach providing the opportunity to fabricate nanoceramic sources based on yttrium stabilized zirconia (YSZ) for magnetron sputtering. The approach includes sol-gel reverse precipitation synthesis of nanosize YSZ precursor powders with further freeze-drying resulting in high precursor powder dispersity and low agglomeration level in a wide temperature range. The use of such precursor powders makes possible fabrication of YSZ ceramics free of inorganic binders; this ceramics meets the requirements for the magnetron sputtering source material.