Self-Sputtering Far above the Runaway Threshold: An Extraordinary Metal-Ion Generator

Journal Article · Fri Jan 30 00:00:00 EST 2009 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVLETT.102.045003· OSTI ID:21180160

Andersson, Joakim; Anders, Andre ^[1]

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1. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States)

When self-sputtering is driven far above the runaway threshold voltage, energetic electrons are made available to produce 'excess plasma' far from the magnetron target. Ionization balance considerations show that the secondary electrons deliver the necessary energy to the 'remote' zone. Thereby, such a system can be an extraordinarily prolific generator of usable metal ions. Contrary to other known sources, the ion current to a substrate can exceed the discharge current. For gasless self-sputtering of copper, the usable ion current scales exponentially with the discharge voltage.

• OSTI ID: 21180160
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 102, Issue 4; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.045003; (c) 2009 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COPPER
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
IONIZATION
IONS
MAGNETRONS
PLASMA
SPUTTERING
SUBSTRATES
TAIL ELECTRONS