Abstract

The normal component of thin-film thermal conductivity has been measured for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, for several advanced sputtered optical materials. Included are data for single layers of boron nitride, silicon aluminum nitride, silicon aluminum oxynitride, silicon carbide, and for dielectric-enhanced metal reflectors of the form Al(SiO₂/Si₃N₄)ⁿ and Al(Al₂O₃/AlN)ⁿ. Sputtered films of more conventional materials such as SiO₂, Al₂O₃, Ta₂O₅, Ti, and Si have also been measured. The data show that thin-film thermal conductivities are typically 10 to 100 times lower than conductivities for the same materials in bulk form. Structural disorder in the amorphous or fine-grained films appears to account for most of the conductivity difference. Conclusive evidence for a film–substrate interface contribution is presented.

© 1993 Optical Society of America

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