currently i'm having project regarding fabricating NiTi thin film and I need help with some of the question stated below.

the process to fabricate is using sputtering process. 

I wish to know, beside Silcon substrate, is there any other substrate which i can use? and why majority use silcon instead of other substrate?

what are some of the processing parameters? which is more important and which need to keep constant?

and lastly, XRD,DSC ,AFM and SEM is use to test whether the thin film I fabricate have the optimal properties of shape memory effect, but how do I know whether they have the optimal properties of shape memory effect?

Thanks in advance!