Alcalá Penadés, GermánGarcia Valenzuela, AurelioAlcaide, Antonio M.Rico, VictorFerrer, Francisco J.Rojas, Teresa C.Alvarez, RafaelGonzalez Elipe, Agustin R.Palmero, Alberto2025-11-252025-11-252021-09-21Garcia‐Valenzuela, Aurelio, et al. «Compositional Gradients at the Nanoscale in Substoichiometric Thin Films Deposited by Magnetron Sputtering at Oblique Angles: A Case Study on SiO x Thin Films». Plasma Processes and Polymers, vol. 19, n.o 1, enero de 2022, p. 2100116. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1002/ppap.202100116.10.1002/ppap.202100116https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/126461We demonstrate the existence of stoichiometric variations at the nanoscale when growing nanocolumnar SiOx thin films by reactive magnetron sputtering deposition at oblique angles. Results show stoichiometric variations in the range 0.3 < x < 1.3 when growing a SiO0.5 thin film. This agrees with results from a numerical growth model that obtains a shift of the stoichiometry in all nanocolumns from lower values at the side facing the Si target to higher values at the opposite side. The different momentum distribution of the gaseous reactive and sputtered species results in preferential incorporation of the latter at a particular side of the nanocolumns. The general occurrence of this mechanism during the reactive magnetron sputtering deposition of substoichiometric thin films at oblique angles is discussed.engjournal articlehttps://doi.org/10.1002/ppap.202100116https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ppap.202100116embargoed access620Física de materialesMateriales2211 Física del Estado Sólido2303 Química Inorgánica