Ion distribution measurements to probe target and plasma processes in electronegative magnetron discharges. II. Positive ions

Journal Article · Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3553847· OSTI ID:21538211

Welzel, Th; Ellmer, K ^[1]; Naumov, S ^[2]

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1. Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin fuer Materialien und Energie, Institut Solare Brennstoffe, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, D-14109 Berlin (Germany)
2. Leibniz-Institut fuer Oberflaechenmodifizierung e.V., Permoserstrasse 15, D-04318 Leipzig (Germany)

Spectra of the ion mass and energy distributions of positive ions in reactive (Ar/O{sub 2}) and nonreactive (Ar) dc magnetron sputtering discharges have been investigated by energy-resolved mass spectrometry. The results of three sputter target materials, i.e., Cu, In, and W are compared to each other. Besides the main gas constituents, mass spectra reveal a variety of molecular ions which are dependent on the target material. In reactive mode, ArO{sup +} is always observed in Ar/O{sub 2} but molecules containing Ar and the metal were exclusively found for the Cu target. The occurrence of the different ions is explained in the context of their bond strengths obtained from density functional theory calculations. The energy spectra generally contain the known low-energy peak corresponding to the plasma potential. Differently extended high-energy tails due to sputtered material were observed for the different targets. Besides these, high-energetic ions were detected with up to several 100 eV. Their energies are significantly different for Ar{sup +} and O{sup +} with Ar{sup +} strongly depending on the target material. The spectra are discussed together with results from transport of ions in matter (TRIM) calculation to elucidate the origin of these energetic ions.

• OSTI ID: 21538211
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 109, Issue 7; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3553847; (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ARGON IONS
BEAM-PLASMA SYSTEMS
CATIONS
DENSITY FUNCTIONAL METHOD
DISTRIBUTION
ELECTRONEGATIVITY
ENERGY SPECTRA
HIGH-FREQUENCY DISCHARGES
MAGNETRONS
MASS
MASS SPECTRA
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
METALS
MOLECULAR IONS
MOLECULES
OXYGEN IONS
PLASMA
PLASMA POTENTIAL
SPUTTERING
TAIL IONS
CALCULATION METHODS
CHARGED PARTICLES
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTRON TUBES
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
IONS
MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT
MICROWAVE TUBES
SPECTRA
SPECTROSCOPY
VARIATIONAL METHODS