Nickel atom and ion densities in an inductively coupled plasma with an internal coil
- Plasma Processing Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204-4004 (United States)
The nickel atom density was measured in an inductively coupled argon plasma with an internal Ni coil, as a function of pressure and power, using optical absorption spectroscopy. Nickel atoms were sputtered from the coil and from a separate Ni target under optional target bias. A fraction of the atoms was ionized in the high-density plasma. The gas temperature was determined by analyzing the rovibrational spectra of the second positive system of nitrogen actinometer gas. The electron density was determined by optical emission spectroscopy in combination with a global model. For a pressure of 8-20 mTorr and coil power of 40-200 W, the Ni atom density ranged from 2.7x10{sup 9} to 1.5x10{sup 10} cm{sup -3}, increasing strongly with pressure. The Ni atom density first increased with power but saturated at high power levels. The measured Ni atom density agreed fairly well with the predictions of a global model, in particular, at the higher pressures. The model also predicted that the Ni{sup +} ion density greatly increased at higher powers and pressures. Applying 70 W bias on the target electrode increased the Ni atom density by 60%.
- OSTI ID:
- 20884960
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 101, Issue 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2401659; (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Measurements of sputtered neutrals and ions and investigation of their roles on the plasma properties during rf magnetron sputtering of Zn and ZnO targets
Optical emission spectroscopy and Langmuir probe diagnostics of CH{sub 3}F/O{sub 2} inductively coupled plasmas