Impact of an ion-flux non-uniformity on the sputtering of a target with a surface relief in a glow discharge plasma

The distribution of the sputtering yield averaged over the ion energy and flux density of sputtered atoms in a glow discharge plasma on a surface with a small-amplitude periodic relief has been calculated. The average sputtering yield of the target has a minimum at tops of the relief due to the energy separation of ions within the near-electrode discharge layer, while the flux density of sputtered atoms in this case is maximized due to the higher density of the ion flux on these areas.     

Calculation of the flow of sputtered atoms returning to a target with a surface relief during sputtering in glow discharge

A model is constructed that describes the transport of a sputtered substance near a target with a relief surface that is sputtered in glow discharge. For a periodic relief with small amplitude, distribution of a return flow of sputtered atoms from a discharge gap is calculated by a perturbation method. It is shown that nonuniform repeated deposition of the substance sputtered from the target could be one of the causes of formation of a relief on its surface.     

Monte Carlo model for the argon ions and fast argon atoms in aradio-frequency discharge

A three-dimensional Monte Carlo model has been developed for the argon ions and fast argon atoms in the RF sheath of a capacitively coupled RF glow discharge in argon. Our interest in the argon ions and fast argon atoms in the RF sheath arises from the fact that the glow discharge under study is used as sputtering source for analytical chemistry. This source operates at typical working conditions of a few torr pressure and about 10 W incoming power. The argon ion and atom Monte Carlo model has been coupled to a hybrid Monte Carlo-fluid model for electrons and argon ions developed before to obtain fully self-consistent results. Typical results of this model include, among others, the densities, fluxes, collision rates, mean energies, and energy distributions of the argon ions and atoms. Moreover, we have investigated how many RF cycles have to be followed before periodic steady state is reached, and the effects of all previous RF cycles are correctly accounted for. This is found to be the case for about 20-25 RF cycles     

Annealed Ni/Ti/SiC structure analysed by SIMS and GDMS

Depth profile analysis was performed using two mass spectrometry analytical techniques applying argon ion sputtering—secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and glow discharge mass spectrometry (GDMS). 150 nm Ni/20 nm Ti/4H-SiC structure was prepared by evaporation coating with titanium and nickel. The structure was analysed as prepared and annealed in 600°C in dry N₂. Obtained results allow monitoring several processes present during annealing of Ni/Ti/SiC structures. These are nickel diffusion and its reaction with SiC leading to formation of Ni₂Si, precipitation of carbon and segregation of titanium. Results are also used for comparison of the two analytical techniques used. The techniques base on different ionisation mechanisms. In SIMS, secondary ions are formed at the bombarded surface during ion sputtering process in ultra-high vacuum environment, while in GDMS, ionisation occurs in glow discharge above the eroded surface in low vacuum.     

Subthreshold sputtering at high temperatures

The sputtering of tungsten from a target at a temperature of 1470 K during irradiation by 5-eV deuterium ions in a steady-state dense plasma is discovered. The literature values of the threshold for the sputtering of tungsten by deuterium ions are 160–200 eV. The tungsten sputtering coefficient measured by the loss of weight is found to be 1.5×10^?4 atom/ion at a deuterium ion energy of 5 eV. Previously, such a sputtering coefficient was usually observed at energies of 250 eV. The sputtering is accompanied by a change in the target surface relief, i.e., by the etching of the grain boundaries and the formation of a wavy structure on the tungsten surface. The subthreshold sputtering at a high temperature is explained by the possible sputtering of adsorbed tungsten atoms that are released from the traps around the interstitial atoms and come to the target surface from the space between the grains. The wavy structure on the surface results from the merging of adsorbed atoms into ordered clusters.     

Surface cleaning using sputtering

In this article sputtering phenomena as related to the removal of contaminant layers from surfaces are reviewed. Basic relations for sputtering of adsorbed layers by ion bombardment and the corresponding cross sections are discussed in the introductory part. The following section presents models for the sputtering of overlayers with the intention of understanding the relevant physical processes and to obtain quantitative estimates. Subsequently, undesirable by-products of ion bombardment, such as surface damage, particle implantation and preferential sputtering are considered. A concise experimental section deals with ion beam and glow discharge techniques applied for surface cleaning as well as with some surface analytical methods (Auger electron spectroscopy, low-energy ion scattering, secondary ion mass spectroscopy) which are useful and necessary to check the obtained cleaning effect. In the final section various examples are given and some conclusions are drawn for the efficiency of surface cleaning by sputtering.     

Laser-induced fluorescence monitoring of the gas phase in a glow discharge during reactive sputtering of vanadium

Processes in the gas phase of a glow discharge during diode and magnetron reactive sputtering of vanadium in an Ar–O₂ atmosphere have been investigated by laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) as a function of the parameters of the glow discharge and the composition of the atmosphere. The intensity of the fluorescence spectra increased by 1.5–2.0 orders of magnitude in the magnetron sputtering process compared with that of diode sputtering. Under continuous sputtering conditions, the dependences of the intensities and relative compositions of the fluorescence spectra on the discharge parameters (discharge voltage and current) have been investigated. In pulsed mode of the glow discharge, the dynamics of changes in the spectra have been studied versus variations in the discharge duration and the lag time for recording the fluorescence signal. The dependence of the spectral line intensities on the partial pressure of oxygen has been found for vanadium and its oxide. The cathode surface at pressures of 0.03–0.04 Pa was shown to convert to the oxidized state.     

高压耦合高功率脉冲磁控溅射的增强放电效应

等离子体源离子注入与沉积技术作为一种可生产高结合力、高致密度涂层的真空镀膜技术,具有广阔的应用前景,尤其适用于高载荷工况下服役的功能涂层制备.该技术中金属等离子体源是关键,而现有的脉冲阴极弧源结构复杂,且由于伴随"金属液滴"而需要增加过滤装置.本文研究了另一种简单结构的金属等离子体源备选一高功率脉冲磁控溅射源(HPPMS)的放电特性,采用等离子体发射光谱仪探索了不同的耦合高压对HPPMS放电靶电流特性和等离子体特性的作用.发现耦合高压对HPPMS放电有明显的促进作用,相同靶电压下的放电强度大幅增加,相对于金属放电,耦合高压对气体放电的促进作用更加明显,但在自溅射为主的高压放电阶段对金属放电的促进作用明显增强.讨论了耦合高压对HPPMS放电的增强机制,发现耦合高压自辉光放电、耦合高压和HPPMS电压构成双向负压形成的空心阴极效应,以及耦合高压鞘层改善的双极扩散效应都对HPPMS放电的增强有明显作用.     

筒形溅射阴极的磁场优化及其高功率放电特性研究

基于高功率脉冲磁控溅射(HiPIMS)技术开发的筒形溅射阴极,配合电磁系统可有效地提升等离子体的输运效率.然而电磁系统的引入反作用于筒内放电特性,从而使靶面放电面积和放电强度无法同时维持.鉴于此,本文通过调整磁场布局,研究了靶面切向(横向)磁场和法向(纵向)磁场对靶面放电的作用规律,优化后靶面切向磁场分布更加均匀,磁场强度高于40 mT的靶面区域占比由51%增至67%,同时法向峰值强度外移,强度由73 mT增至96 mT.采用Ar/Cr体系放电发现:相同工艺条件下,优化后的溅射阴极辉光变亮,靶电流增大,放电面积变宽,放电特性得到显著提升.利用等离子体整体模型仿真和发射光谱仪检测发现优化后离子电流和光谱强度得到明显提升,Cr粒子密度提高一倍,增至2.6×10^20 m^–3,且离化率上升至92.1%,同时输出离子通量提高近一倍,实现了靶面放电与离子输出的双促进.     

Influence of the ion charge sign on the stimulation of plasmochemical etching of silicon

The influence of ions with different charge signs on the stimulation of silicon etching under plasma conditions is studied. Fluorine radicals are produced in a glow discharge with a nonuniform pressure. A beam of positive or negative ions is created using a Penning ion source. The flow of fluorine radicals and the ion beam are superposed on a silicon surface placed in a high vacuum. Positive ions may be converted into fast neutrals via resonance charge exchange in the parent gas. It is shown that fast neutrals have the highest catalytic effect. The catalytic effect of positive ions is about two times less. Negative ions occupy the intermediate position. For the first time, it is found that some kinds of ions (e.g., molecular oxygen) do not accelerate, but rather decelerate the etching process; i.e., they behave as inhibitors.     

GaP薄膜的射频磁控溅射沉积及其计算机模拟

以GaP为靶材采用射频磁控溅射法制备GaP红外光学薄膜，通过保持Ar Ⅰ 750nm发射光谱线强度不变获得了不同工艺参数，并对沉积过程进行了计算机模拟.功率较小、气压较大时，Ga和P的溅射率、输运效率及沉积到衬底时的能量均较小，Ga的溅射率及输运效率均大于P的，使薄膜沉积速率较低、薄膜中Ga的含量大于P的，GaP薄膜产生较大吸收.功率较大、气压较小时，Ga和P的溅射率、输运效率及沉积到衬底时的能量均增大，Ga的溅射率大于P的、但其输运效率小于P的，使GaP薄膜的沉积速率增大、薄膜中Ga与P的含量接近化学计量比，GaP薄膜的吸收降低，因此有利于制备厚度较大的GaP薄膜. 关键词： GaP 薄膜 射频磁控溅射 计算机模拟     

间隙绝缘电极辉光放电实验观察

实验研究了ITER H2/He辉光放电壁处理(GDC)系统的电极合理的间隙绝缘参数及标定辉光过程中沉积在电极头部的热负载.进行了H2/He击穿电压特性试验,在ITER GDC预期的壁离子电流密度条件下研究了H2/He辉光放电电压和试验电极上热负荷与压强的关系、试验电极启辉耐受特性、试验电极温度与热负荷的关系以及在不同区...     

Interaction of a surface glow discharge with a gas flow

A surface glow discharge in a gas flow is of particular interest as a possible tool for controlling the flow past hypersonic aircrafts. Using a hydrodynamic model of glow discharge, two-dimensional calculations for a kilovolt surface discharge in nitrogen at a pressure of 0.5 Torr are carried out in a stationary gas, as well as in a flow with a velocity of 1000 m/s. The discharge structure and plasma parameters are investigated near a charged electrode. It is shown that the electron energy in a cathode layer reaches 250–300 eV. Discharge is sustained by secondary electron emission. The influence of a high-speed gas flow on the discharge is considered. It is shown that the cathode layer configuration is flow-resistant. The distributions of the electric field and electron energy, as well as the ionization rate profile in the cathode layer, do not change qualitatively under the action of the flow. The basic effect of the flow’s influence is a sharp decrease in the region of the quasineutral plasma surrounding the cathode layer due to fast convective transport of ions.     

等离子体发射光谱诊断用于射频磁控溅射GaP薄膜的工艺参数优化

以GaP为靶材、Ar为工作气体,采用射频磁控溅射法制备了厚层GaP膜.对沉积过程中的辉光放电等离子体进行了发射光谱诊断,发现只有ArⅠ发射谱线.研究了工艺参数对发射谱线强度的影响规律,并在此基础上通过同时改变射频功率、Ar气流量及工作气压,使ArⅠ发射谱线强度保持相同.发现通过增大射频功率、减小工作气压而保持ArⅠ发射谱线强度不变可以提高GaP膜的沉积速率,并使GaP膜的沉积工艺参数得到优化.在优化后的工艺参数下制备出了符合化学计量比、红外透过性能好的厚层GaP膜. 关键词： GaP薄膜 射频磁控溅射 等离子体发射光谱 红外透射     

Influence of the Basic Process Parameters on the Ion/Atom Arrival Rate Ratio during Magnetron Sputter Deposition of Thin Carbon Films

The behaviour of the ratio of the argon ion flux and the sputtered atom flux to the substrate with the variation of the basic process parameters was studied in a planar magnetron sputtering system. Finding ways to control this ratio is important with respect to carrying out ion-assisted thin film growth by magnetron sputtering under well-defined conditions. Combined deposition rate measurements and plasma probe measurements were carried out in order to determine the ion/atom arrival rate ratio. In addition calculations of the neutral atom flux were performed on the basis of a simple model and the results compared with the measured values. A considerable change in the values of the ion/atom arrival rate ratio with the variation of the argon pressure and the discharge power was found under operating conditions, at which the back diffusion of the sputtered material is pronounced. The distribution of the ion flux over the substrate surface was found to become more homogeneous with the increase of the working pressure or the target-to-substrate distance.     

用于实时溅射深度测量的新型Grimm辉光放电光源的设计

采用辉光放电光谱仪进行物质表面深度分析时,样品溅射深度是重要的分析信息.本文设计了一种新型Grimm辉光放电光源,此光源与激光位移测距传感器构成的测昔系统可对样品溅射深度进行实时测量,并保证了良好的辉光溅射效果和分辨多层结构及界面的能力.采用激光三角测量技术,在辉光光谱分析的同时对溅射深度进行实时测量,能够有效地解决传统深度分析方法中步骤繁琐以及对深度估算不准确等问题.本光源采用光纤将辉光光谱信号从光源传至多道分光光电检测系统,在结构上首次实现了元素光谱信号和溅射深度信号的实时采集及基于时间的同步分析,对标准样品得到了理想的实时溅射深度测量曲线.本文详细介绍了此新型辉光放电光源的设计思路和工作原理.本辉光放电光源具有良好的深度分辨率,在30 mA,900 V,20 min的溅射条件下,对铁基和铜基样品的溅射速率分别约为10和55 nm·s-1,文中给出了样品的溅射坑表面形貌图和溅射坑显微照片.对中低合金钢标准样品进行了分析精密度实验,分析精度良好,其中C,Cu,Al,Ni,Mo,Mn,V元素相对标准偏差(RSD)均小于1.7%.Cr和Si元素RSD小于2.6%,给出了实测数据.     

Sputtering of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite with 30 keV Argon ions

The influence of the incidence angle of 30 keV Ar⁺ ions, ion fluence and target temperature on the sputtering yield and surface microgeometry of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (UPV-1T) samples was experimentally studied. It was found that at fluences more than 5 × 10¹⁹ ion cm^?2 the sputtering yield at room temperature in the range of the ion incidence angle from 0° to 80° is twice as small as the corresponding experimental data for both polycrystalline graphite and glassy carbon. The analysis of ion-induced relief permits us to suppose the topographical suppression mechanism of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite sputtering.     

Pt(111)表面低能溅射现象的分子动力学模拟

利用嵌入原子方法的原子间相互作用势，通过分子动力学模拟，详细研究了贵金属原子在Pt (111)表面的低能溅射现象.模拟结果显示：对于垂直入射情况，入射原子的质量对Pt (11 1)表面的溅射阈值影响不大.当入射原子的能量小于溅射阈值时，入射原子基本以沉积为主 ；当入射原子的能量大于溅射阈值时，溅射产额随入射原子能量的增加而线性增大；当入射 原子能量达到200 eV时，各种入射原子的溅射产额都达到或接近1，此时入射原子主要起溅 射作用.溅射原子发射的角分布概率和溅射花样与高能溅射相类似.研究表明：与基于二体碰 撞近似的线性级联溅射理论不同，当入射原子能量大于溅射阈值时，低能入射原子的溅射产 额正比于入射原子的约化能量和入射原子与基体原子的质量比.通过对低能入射原子的钉扎 能力分析，提出了支配低能溅射的入射原子反射物理机理. 关键词： 分子动力学模拟、低能溅射     

Sputtering of the magnetron diode target in the presence of an external ion beam

The effect of an external ion beam on the plasma and target of a dc magnetron sputtering system in the course of reactive deposition of films is investigated. A combined experimental setup consisting of a magnetron diode and a hall-current ion source is constructed. The influence of a fast ion beam on the discharge current formation, the target emission characteristics, and the target etching rate is considered. It is shown that the ion assistance expands the operating range of the magnetron diode, increases the deposition rate, and substantially shortens the target training time. At the same time, it practically does not affect the ionization processes in the plasma.     

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建立了烘烤出气和辉光放电清洗(GDC)出气的物理模型,研究了装置器壁的烘烤出气和辉光放电清洗出气特点.烘烤出气是体出气,出气过程满足扩散方程;GDC出气是溅射脱附过程,它主要是器壁表面的溅射诱导出气.由此分析了HL-1M装置的烘烤出气和辉光放电清洗出气特点,得出了一些经验公式.