Dynamics of reactive high-power impulse magnetron sputtering discharge studied by time- and space-resolved optical emission spectroscopy and fast imaging
- Department of Engineering Physics, Ecole Polytechnique, P.O. Box 6079, station Downtown, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3A7 (Canada)
Time- and space-resolved optical emission spectroscopy and fast imaging were used for the investigation of the plasma dynamics of high-power impulse magnetron sputtering discharges. 200 {mu}s pulses with a 50 Hz repetition frequency were applied to a Cr target in Ar, N{sub 2}, and N{sub 2}/Ar mixtures and in a pressure range from 0.7 to 2.66 Pa. The power density peaked at 2.2-6 kW cm{sup -2}. Evidence of dominating self-sputtering was found for all investigated conditions. Up to four different discharge phases within each pulse were identified: (i) the ignition phase, (ii) the high-current metal-dominated phase, (iii) the transient phase, and (iv) the low-current gas-dominated phase. The emission of working gas excited by fast electrons penetrating the space in-between the electrodes during the ignition phase spread far outwards from the target at a speed of 24 km s{sup -1} in 1.3 Pa of Ar and at 7.5 km s{sup -1} in 1.3 Pa of N{sub 2}. The dense metal plasma created next to the target propagated in the reactor at a speed ranging from 0.7 to 3.5 km s{sup -1}, depending on the working gas composition and the pressure. In fact, it increased with higher N{sub 2} concentration and lower pressure. The form of the propagating plasma wave changed from a hemispherical shape in Ar, to a droplike shape extending far from the target in N{sub 2}. An important N{sub 2} emission rise in the latter case was detected during the transition at the end of the metal-dominated phase.
- OSTI ID:
- 21476142
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 107, Issue 4; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3305319; (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 0021-8979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ARGON
CHROMIUM
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRODES
ELECTRONS
EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY
HIGH-FREQUENCY DISCHARGES
MAGNETRONS
NITROGEN
PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
PLASMA
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
PLASMA WAVES
POWER DENSITY
PULSES
SPUTTERING
TIME RESOLUTION
TRANSIENTS
CURRENTS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
ELECTRON TUBES
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FERMIONS
FLUIDS
GASES
LEPTONS
METALS
MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT
MICROWAVE TUBES
NONMETALS
RARE GASES
RESOLUTION
SPECTROSCOPY
TIMING PROPERTIES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS