Dynamics of a planar magnetron discharge

Thesis/Dissertation · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:6939521

Wendt, A E

In planar magnetron sputter deposition, metal atoms are sputtered from a source by a magnetically confined plasma. The sputtered atoms come to rest on substrates placed in the vacuum chamber, coating them with a thin metal film. This work employs modelling and experimental techniques to investigate the physical mechanisms which govern the operation of a planar magnetron discharge. The primary investigation centers on distribution of discharge current at the cathode. The cylindrically symmetric experimental system consists of a 12-inch diameter aluminum vacuum chamber with movable 9-inch diameter copper electrodes. Energy gained in the cathode sheath by secondary electrons emitted from the cathode goes into the ionization necessary for discharge maintenance. By examining the range of motion of these electrons in the magnetic field, the location of the plasma and thus the distribution of current at the cathode can be calculated. Such a calculation was carried out for the following scenarios: (1) the sheath is thin compared to the range of the electrons and electron motion is hamiltonian, (2) the sheath is thin and electron motion is dominated by diffusion, and (3) the sheath is thick compared to the range of the electrons and electron motion is hamiltonian. Only the latter, thick sheath model, gives good agreement with experimentally observed scaling.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Berkeley, CA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6939521
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360101 -- Metals & Alloys-- Preparation & Fabrication
440000 -- Instrumentation
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
656003* -- Condensed Matter Physics-- Interactions between Beams & Condensed Matter-- (1987-)
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
CALCULATION METHODS
CONFINEMENT
DATA
DATA ANALYSIS
DEPOSITION
DYNAMICS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRON TUBES
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ELEMENTS
ENERGY BEAM DEPOSITION
EQUIPMENT
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
INFORMATION
MAGNETRONS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MEASURING METHODS
MECHANICS
METALS
MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT
MICROWAVE TUBES
NUMERICAL DATA
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
SURFACE COATING