Influence of ionisation zone motion in high power impulse magnetron sputtering on angular ion flux and NbOx film growth

Franz, Robert; Clavero, César; Kolbeck, Jonathan; Anders, André

doi:10.1088/0963-0252/25/1/015022

Title: Influence of ionisation zone motion in high power impulse magnetron sputtering on angular ion flux and NbO_x film growth

Journal Article · Thu Jan 21 00:00:00 EST 2016 · Plasma Sources Science and Technology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0963-0252/25/1/015022· OSTI ID:1393013

Franz, Robert ^[1]; Clavero, César ^[2]; Kolbeck, Jonathan ^[2]; Anders, André ^[2]

Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Montanuniversitat Leoben, Leoben (Austria)
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

Here, the ion energies and fluxes in the high power impulse magnetron sputtering plasma from a Nb target were analysed angularly resolved along the tangential direction of the racetrack. A reactive oxygen-containing atmosphere was used as such discharge conditions are typically employed for the synthesis of thin films. Asymmetries in the flux distribution of the recorded ions as well as their energies and charge states were noticed when varying the angle between mass-energy analyser and target surface. More positively charged ions with higher count rates in the medium energy range of their distributions were detected in +E x B than in -E x B direction, thus confirming the notion that ionisation zones (also known as spokes or plasma bunches) are associated with moving potential humps. The motion of the recorded negatively charged high-energy oxygen ions was unaffected. NbO_x thin films at different angles and positions were synthesised and analysed as to their structure and properties in order to correlate the observed plasma properties to the film growth conditions. The chemical composition and the film thickness varied with changing deposition angle, where the latter, similar to the ion fluxes, was higher in +E x B than in -E x B direction.

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Research Organization:: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC); Austrian Science Fund (FWF)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-05CH11231

OSTI ID:: 1393013

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1235495

Journal Information:: Plasma Sources Science and Technology, Vol. 25, Issue 1; ISSN 0963-0252

Publisher:: IOP PublishingCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Citation Metrics:

Cited by: 27 works

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Tutorial: Reactive high power impulse magnetron sputtering (R-HiPIMS) Anders, André Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 121, Issue 17 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4978350	journal	March 2017
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Title: Influence of ionisation zone motion in high power impulse magnetron sputtering on angular ion flux and NbOx film growth

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Title: Influence of ionisation zone motion in high power impulse magnetron sputtering on angular ion flux and NbO_x film growth