Control of High Power Pulsed Magnetron Discharge by Monitoring the Current Voltage Characteristics

Discharge current voltage (IV) curves are directly measured at the target of a high impulse power magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) plasma for the target materials aluminium, chromium, titanium and copper. These discharge IV curves have been correlated with ICCD camera images of the plasma torus. A clear connection between the change in the discharge IV curve slopes at specific currents and the appearance of localized ionization zones, so‐called spokes, in a HiPIMS plasma is identified. These spokes appear above typical target current densities of 2 A/cm². The slope of the discharge IV curves, at current densities when spokes are formed, depends on the mass of the target atoms with a higher plasma conductivity for higher mass target materials. This is explained by the momentum transfer from the sputter wind to the argon background gas, which leads to higher plasma densities for heavier target materials. The change in the VI curve slope can be used to identify the spokes regime for HiPIMS plasmas, as being mandatory for deposition of good quality materials by HiPIMS. Consequently, the discharge IV curve slope monitoring can be regarded an essential control approach of any industrial HiPIMS process, where discharge IV curves are much easier accessible compared to more complex diagnostics such as time and space resolved ICCD camera measurements. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Growth of Indium Nanorods by Magnetron Sputtering

Indium nanorods are grown on silicon substrates by using magnetron-sputtering technique. Film morphologies and nanorod microstructure are investigated by using scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy （HRTEM）, and x-ray diffraction. It is found that the mean diameter of the nanorods ranges from 30nm to 100nm and the height ranges from 30nm to 200nm. The HRTEM investigations show that the indium nanorods are single crystals and grow along the [100] axis. The nanorods grow from the facets near the surface undulation that is caused by compressive stress in the indium grains generated during grain coalescence process. For low melting point and high diffusivity metal, such as bismuth and indium, this spontaneous nanorod growth mechanism can be used to fabricate nanostructures.     

直流磁控溅射制备AlN薄膜的结构和表面粗糙度

采用直流磁控反应溅射法,在Si(111)基底上成功制备了多晶六方相AlN薄膜.研究了溅射过程中溅射气压对薄膜结构和表面粗糙度的影响.结果表明:当溅射气压低于0.6 Pa时,薄膜为非晶态,在傅里叶变换红外光谱中,没有明显的吸收峰;当溅射气压不低于0.6 Pa时,薄膜的X射线衍射图中均出现了六方相的AlN(100)、(110)和弱的(002)衍射峰,说明所制备的AlN薄膜为多晶态,在傅里叶变换红外光谱中,在波数为677 cm-1处有明显的吸收峰;随着溅射气压的增大,薄膜表面粗糙度先减小后增大,而薄膜的沉积速率先增大后减少,且沉积速率较大有利于减小薄膜的表面粗糙度;在溅射气压为0.6 Pa时,薄膜具有最小的表面粗糙度和最大的沉积速率.     

功率密度对中频磁控溅射制备 AZO薄膜性能的影向

利用中频磁控溅射法在普通玻璃衬底上沉积掺铝氧化锌(ZnO ∶ Al,简称AZO)薄膜,通过调整溅射功率密度参数得到沉积速率与功率密度之间的关系,制备了不同厚度的AZO薄膜.利用台阶仪、XRD、XPS、紫外可见分光光度计和Hall测试系统等方法研究了功率密度与厚度对AZO薄膜结构、组分、光学和电学性能的影响.实验结果表明...     

Effect of High Temperature Annealing on Conduction-Type ZnO Films Prepared by Direct-Current Magnetron Sputtering

We experimentally find that the ZnO thin films deposited by dc-magnetron sputtering have different conduction types after annealing at high temperature in different ambient. Hall measurements show that ZnO films annealed at 1100℃ in N2 and in 02 ambient become n-type and p-type, respectiveIy. This is due to the generation of different intrinsic defects by annealing in different ambient. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and photolumineseence measurements indicate that zinc interstitial becomes a main defects after annealing at 1100℃ in N2 ambient, and these defects play an important role for n-type conductivity of ZnO. While the ZnO films annealed at 1100℃ in O2 ambient, the oxygen antisite contributes ZnO films to p-type.     

COmparison of Some Basic Plasma Parameters and Discharge Characteristics of Planar Magnetron Sputtering Discharges in Argon and Neon

A comparative investigation is carried out of the discharge characteristics (current-voltage characteristic and dependence of the running voltage on the gas pressure at constant discharge current), as well as of some plasma parameters (electron temperature, floating potential and plasma potential) and densities of the ion current extracted to the substrate, for discharges in neon and argon in a planar magnetron system for sputtering with a graphite target.     

High Ferroelectricities and High Curie Temperature of BiInO3PbTiO3Thin Films Deposited by RF Magnetron Sputtering Method

Properties of ferroelectric xBiInO_3-(1-x)PbTiO_3(xBI-(1-x)PT) thin films deposited on(101) SrRuO_3/(200)Pt/(200) MgO substrates by rf magnetron sputtering method and effects of deposition conditions are investigated.The structures of the xBI-(1-x)PT films are characterized by x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy.The results indicate that the thin films are grown with mainly(001) orientation. The chemical compositions of the films are analyzed by scanning electron probe and the results indicate that the loss phenomena of Pb and Bi elements depend on the pressure and temperature during the sputtering process.The sputtering parameters including target composition, substrate temperature, and gas pressure are adjusted to obtain optimum sputtering conditions. To decrease leakage currents,2 mol% La_2 O_3 is doped in the targets. The P-E hysteresis loops show that the optimized xBI-(1-x)PT(x = 0.24) film has high ferroelectricities with remnant polarization2 P_r = 80μC/cm~2 and coercive electric field 2 E_C = 300 kV/cm. The Curie temperature is about 640℃. The results show that the films have optimum performance and will have wide applications.     

Electrostatic Probe Measurements in the Glow Discharge Plasma of a D. C. Magnetron Sputtering System

The characteristics of the plasma surrounding the substrates in a planar magnetron sputtering system with a graphite target have been investigated by electrostatic probe measurements. The behaviour of the ion density n_i and the electron temperature T_e, determining the ion flux that can be extracted by the substrate, with the variation of the basic system parameters, has been studied.     

射频磁控反应溅射氮氧化硅薄膜的研究

利用SiOxNy薄膜光学常数随化学计量比连续变化的特性,给出了制备折射率连续可调的SiOxNy薄膜的实验条件。用磁控反应溅射法制备了不同氮氧比的SiOxNy薄膜。研究了不同气流比率条件下薄膜光学常数、化学成分及溅射速率等的变化。用UV-VIS光谱仪测试了透射率曲线,利用改进的单纯型法拟合透射率曲线计算得到了折射率和消光系数。测试了红外傅立叶光谱(FTIR)曲线和X光光电子能谱(XPS)分析了薄膜成分的变化。实验表明薄膜特性与N2／O2流量比率密切相关,通过控制总压和改变气体流量比可控制SiOxNy薄膜的折射率n从1．92到1．46连续变化,应用Wemple-DiDomenico模型计算出光子带隙在6．5eV到5eV之间单调变化。     

NiSi Film Synthesized by Isochronal Annealing in a Magnetron Sputtering System

By repeatedly pre-cleaning the sputtering chamber with Ar gas and in-situ isochronal annealing samples, NiSi films are successfully prepared on Si （100） substrates in a radio-frequency magnetron sputtering system. A comparison between the obtained NiSi and excess oxygen-contaminated Ni/Si films has been performed by EDX analysis of oxygen atomic content in both the films. Focused ion beam milling technology is employed to make the cross-sections of the samples for characterizing the NiSi film thickness and NiSi/Si interface roughness. The influences of nickel film thickness on the NiSi-film morphology and on the NiSi/Si interface roughness are studied.     

射频磁控溅射法制备SnS薄膜及其结构和光学特性

利用射频磁控溅射法在玻璃衬底上沉积SnS薄膜并对其进行快速退火处理,利用X射线衍射(XRD)、拉曼光谱(Raman)、X射线能量色散谱(EDS)、原子力显微镜(AFM)和紫外-可见-近红外(UV-Vis-NIR)分光光度计研究了不同溅射功率(60~120 W)条件下制备的SnS薄膜的晶体结构、物相组成、化学组分、表面形貌以及有关光学特性。结果表明:经快速退火的薄膜均已结晶,提高溅射功率有利于改善薄膜的结晶质量、生长择优取向程度和化学配比,薄膜的平均颗粒尺寸呈增大趋势;溅射功率为100 W的薄膜样品的结晶质量和择优取向度高,薄膜应变最小,且为纯相SnS薄膜,Sn/S组分的量比为1∶1.09,吸收系数达10~5cm~(-1)量级,直接禁带宽度为1.54 eV。     

磁控溅射法沉积SiN_x非晶薄膜的生长机制及结构分析

利用磁控溅射技术在单晶Si衬底上沉积了Six非晶薄膜.样品的傅里叶变换红外吸收光谱(FTIR)显示,SNx非晶薄膜在812～892 cm-1范围内存在一个较强的吸收谱带.该吸收谱带对应于Si-N-Si键的伸缩振动吸收(stretching vibration mode),其吸收峰峰位随着溅射功率的增大明显红移;但退火后,该吸收峰又逐渐蓝移.结合中心力模型和自由结合模型,分析了磁控溅射过程中Six非晶薄膜的生长机制和内部结构.研究认为,随着溅射功率的提高,薄膜中先后形成Si-N4四面体,Si-N-Si3,Si-N2-S2及Si-N3-Si等结构,这几种结构分别对应着Si-N-Si键的不同模式的振动吸收.随着退火温度的升高,分子热运动逐渐加剧,非晶SiNx薄膜发生相分离,生成Si3N4和Si纳米晶颗粒,因此,S-N-Si键的吸收峰逐渐向Si3N4的特征振动吸收峰位870 cm-1靠近.     

玉米蛋白质基底上射频磁控溅射法制备ZnO薄膜

采用射频磁控溅射方法在蛋白质基底上成功地制备了ZnO薄膜,研究了不同靶基距、氩氧比和溅射功率条件对ZnO薄膜性质的影响。结果表明,较小的靶基距有助于ZnO薄膜的c轴择优取向生长。我们还发现,沉积于玉米蛋白质基底的ZnO薄膜存在不同程度的张应力,当Ar/（Ar+O₂）为0.7时,ZnO薄膜内的张应力最小。ZnO近带边发光峰有不同程度的红移,我们认为,这是由于晶界势垒和氧空位V_o造成的。随着溅射功率的增大,薄膜生长速率显著加快,晶粒尺寸增大,ZnO的近带边发光峰位逐渐趋向于理论值。     

Structural Properties of Thin Films Obtained by Magnetron Sputtering of Polydiacetylene

Physics of the Solid State - Films obtained by radio-frequency sputtering of monocrystalline polydiacetylene (PDA) are under study. The structure is studied by Raman spectroscopy, transmission...     

磁控溅射制备ZnO薄膜的结构及发光特性研究

采用射频反应磁控溅射法在玻璃衬底上制备出具有c轴高择优取向的ZnO薄膜,利用X射线衍射、扫描探针显微镜及荧光分光光度法研究了生长温度对ZnO薄膜微观结构及光致发光特性的影响。结果表明,合适的衬底温度有利于提高ZnO薄膜的结晶质量;在室温下测量样品的光致发光谱(PL),观察到波长位于400 nm左右的紫光、446 nm左右的蓝色发光峰及502 nm左右微弱的绿光峰,随衬底温度升高,样品的PL谱中紫光及蓝光强度逐渐增大,同时,绿光峰的强度也表现出一定程度的增强。经分析得出紫光应是激子发光所致,而锌填隙则是引起蓝光发射的主要原因,502 nm左右的绿光峰应该是氧的深能级缺陷造成的。此外,还测量了样品的吸收谱,并结合样品吸收谱的拟合结果对光致发光机理的分析作了进一步的验证。     

磁控溅射制备氧化硅薄膜生长速率

氧化硅薄膜是半导体工业中常见的薄膜材料,通常采用化学气相沉积方法制备。但是这种制备方法存在缺欠。采用磁控溅射的方法首先在石英衬底上制备了氧化硅薄膜。研究了射频功率、氧气含量和溅射压强对氧化硅薄膜沉积速率的影响。发现沉积速率随着射频功率的增加而增加;随着氧气含量的增加,先减小后增大;当溅射压强在0.4~0.8 Pa之间变化时,沉积速率变化很小,当溅射压强超过0.8 Pa时沉积速率迅速下降。讨论了不同生长条件下造成氧化硅薄膜生长速率变化的原因。