Measuring the energy flux at the substrate position during magnetron sputter deposition processes

Journal Article · Mon Jan 07 04:00:00 EST 2013 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4773103· OSTI ID:22089670

Cormier, P. -A.; Thomann, A. -L.; Dussart, R.; Semmar, N.; Mathias, J. ^[1]; Balhamri, A. ^[2]; Snyders, R. ^[2]; Konstantinidis, S. ^[2]

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1. GREMI, Universite d'Orleans, 14 rue d'Issoudun, B.P. 6744, 45067 Orleans Cedex 2 (France)
2. Laboratoire de Chimie des Interactions Plasma-Surface, Universite de Mons, 23 Place du Parc, 7000 Mons (Belgium)

In this work, the energetic conditions at the substrate were investigated in dc magnetron sputtering (DCMS), pulsed dc magnetron sputtering (pDCMS), and high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) discharges by means of an energy flux diagnostic based on a thermopile sensor, the probe being set at the substrate position. Measurements were performed in front of a titanium target for a highly unbalanced magnetic field configuration. The average power was always kept to 400 W and the probe was at the floating potential. Variation of the energy flux against the pulse peak power in HiPIMS was first investigated. It was demonstrated that the energy per deposited titanium atom is the highest for short pulses (5 {mu}s) high pulse peak power (39 kW), as in this case, the ion production is efficient and the deposition rate is reduced by self-sputtering. As the argon pressure is increased, the energy deposition is reduced as the probability of scattering in the gas phase is increased. In the case of the HiPIMS discharge run at moderate peak power density (10 kW), the energy per deposited atom was found to be lower than the one measured for DCMS and pDCMS discharges. In these conditions, the HiPIMS discharge could be characterized as soft and close to a pulsed DCMS discharge run at very low duty cycle. For the sake of comparison, measurements were also carried out in DCMS mode with a balanced magnetron cathode, in the same working conditions of pressure and power. The energy flux at the substrate is significantly increased as the discharge is generated in an unbalanced field.

• OSTI ID: 22089670
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 113; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ARGON
ATOMS
DENSITY
DEPOSITION
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
IONS
MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS
MAGNETRONS
PEAK LOAD
PULSES
SCATTERING
SENSORS
SPUTTERING
SUBSTRATES
THERMOCOUPLES
TITANIUM