Silicon oxide is one of the thin films well known in semiconductor industry. It is commonly obtained by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). For this deposition technique

the great disadvantages are high temperature and dangerous reactants as silane (SiH

4

)

dichlo-rosilane (SiH

2

Cl

2

)

ammonia (NH

3

). The reactive magnetron sputtering is a powerful technique for deposition of many different types of films at low deposition temperature. Some of organic (carbon)

metallic (tungsten

aluminum

nickel

cobalt

etc.

)

semiconductor (silicon) and thin dielectric (aluminum oxide) films can commonly be obtained by this method

and furthermore

the advantage is utilization of non-toxic gases

for example

argon

oxygen and nitrogen

high-purity target (99.99%) and it is possible to obtain high deposition rate. In this paper

the silicon oxide films were deposited on quartz substrate by radio-frequency (RF) reactive magnetron sputtering method

the influences of radio-frequency power

oxygen concentration and sputtering pressure on the deposition rate of the silicon oxide film was investigated. It was found that the deposition rate increases with increasing the RF power

but firstly increases and then decreases with increasing oxygen concentration. The deposition rate changed little when the sputtering pressure changed in 0.4~0.8 Pa

and decreases drastically if the pressure is beyond 0.8 Pa. Finally

it was detailedly discused why the deposition rate of silicon oxide films at different growth condition changes.