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

Abstract

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 dischargemore » 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.« less

Authors:
; ; ; ;  [1];  [2];  [2];  [2]
  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)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22089670
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Journal of Applied Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 113; Journal Issue: 1; Other Information: (c) 2013 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0021-8979
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
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

Citation Formats

Cormier, P. -A., Thomann, A. -L., Dussart, R., Semmar, N., Mathias, J., Balhamri, A., Laboratoire Rayonnement and Matiere: Laboratoire d'Optique Appliquee et Transfert d'Energie, Snyders, R., Materia Nova R and D Center, Avenue Copernic 1, Mons, and Konstantinidis, S. Measuring the energy flux at the substrate position during magnetron sputter deposition processes. United States: N. p., 2013. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4773103.
Cormier, P. -A., Thomann, A. -L., Dussart, R., Semmar, N., Mathias, J., Balhamri, A., Laboratoire Rayonnement and Matiere: Laboratoire d'Optique Appliquee et Transfert d'Energie, Snyders, R., Materia Nova R and D Center, Avenue Copernic 1, Mons, & Konstantinidis, S. Measuring the energy flux at the substrate position during magnetron sputter deposition processes. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4773103
Cormier, P. -A., Thomann, A. -L., Dussart, R., Semmar, N., Mathias, J., Balhamri, A., Laboratoire Rayonnement and Matiere: Laboratoire d'Optique Appliquee et Transfert d'Energie, Snyders, R., Materia Nova R and D Center, Avenue Copernic 1, Mons, and Konstantinidis, S. 2013. "Measuring the energy flux at the substrate position during magnetron sputter deposition processes". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4773103.
@article{osti_22089670,
title = {Measuring the energy flux at the substrate position during magnetron sputter deposition processes},
author = {Cormier, P. -A. and Thomann, A. -L. and Dussart, R. and Semmar, N. and Mathias, J. and Balhamri, A. and Laboratoire Rayonnement and Matiere: Laboratoire d'Optique Appliquee et Transfert d'Energie and Snyders, R. and Materia Nova R and D Center, Avenue Copernic 1, Mons and Konstantinidis, S.},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4773103},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22089670}, journal = {Journal of Applied Physics},
issn = {0021-8979},
number = 1,
volume = 113,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 07 00:00:00 EST 2013},
month = {Mon Jan 07 00:00:00 EST 2013}
}