空心阴极直流放电的二维自洽模型描述和阴极溅射分析

建立了空心阴极放电的二维自洽理论模型,理论研究了气压为50—120Pa,电压为150—300V的范围内Ar空心阴极放电特性、粒子密度和电离速率空间分布,特别考察了影响阴极溅射分布有关因素:阴极面上的电场、离子流和离子密度的沿阴极截面的空间分布.研究结果不仅证实了在所讨论的范围内,空心阴极效应明显存在而且发现归一化电离速率的空间分布形状强烈依赖于气压.通过研究电场、离子流和离子密度的空间分布解释了空心阴极溅射型离子激光器中不均匀阴极溅射的现象来源于阴极面附近的电场、离子流和离子密度的不均匀分布 关键词： 空心阴极放电 自洽模型 气体激光 阴极溅射     

Characteristic features of the emission properties of pulsed broad-beam ion and plasma sources utilizing the evaporation of metal by a vacuum arc

An experimental confirmation was obtained of the anode potential fall effect in pulsed broad-beam ion and plasma sources utilizing the evaporation of metal by a vacuum arc. An increase in the overall voltage across the arc discharge was discovered. The investigations demonstrated that the magnitude of the positive anode fall depends on the structural features of the ion source and are determined by the ratio of the plasma flux directed onto the lateral surface of the anode to the total plasma flux from the cathode spot. It was established that the anode fall effect is controlled and makes it possible to influence the homogeneity of the ion current distribution over the beam cross section, the efficiency of extracting ions from the plasma, and the charge composition of the ion flux.Scientific-Research Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polytechnic University, Tomsk. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 2, pp. 82–92, February, 1994.     

Pulsed 469.4 nm hollow cathode He-Kr laser

Design principles, construction and operation characteristics of a pulsed 469.4 nm He-Kr laser are described. The laser was operated in a 20 cm active length transverse hollow cathode discharge and was excited by 50 Hz repetition rate 0.1–1 ms duration square wave current pulses. Cataphoresis of Kr ions was found to play an important role in forming the laser pulse shape. By increasing the voltage a considerable increase of peak laser power occurred, the maximum power obtained was 80 mW. The sealed-off laser was operated using 400 s, 4 A current pulses, pulsed laser power being 20 mW, average power 0.4 mW, respectively. The lifetime of the laser was 440 h, tube failure being due to gas cleanup caused by cathode sputtering.     

Optimizing the Conditions of the Experiment in Atomic Ionization Spectrometry with Laser-Induced Evaporation of Material into a Flame

Two ionization signals — selective and nonselective — are recorded on laser-induced evaporation of solid samples into a flame with subsequent exposure to resonance radiation. The magnitudes of the signals depend on many experimental parameters: the composition of the sample, the composition of the environment and gas mixture, etc. The dependences of the nonselective and selective signals on such experimental parameters as the voltage on the cathode and the energy of the vaporizing radiation have been studied. The optimum energy of the vaporizing radiation was 44–48 mJ at the cathode voltage 500–800 V. This has allowed the coefficient of correlation of the calibration graph to be raised up to 0.99. In these conditions, the limit of detection of Li was 0.017%.     

A physical model of the low-current-density vacuum arc

A one-dimensional (1-D) physical model of the low-current-density steady-state vacuum arc is proposed. The model is based on the continuity equations for ions and electrons and the energy balance for the discharge system; the electric potential distribution in the discharge gap is assumed to be nonmonotonic. It is supposed that the ion current at the cathode is generated within the cathode potential fall region due to the ionization of the evaporated atoms by the plasma thermal electrons having Boltzmann's energy distribution. The model offers a satisfactory explanation for the principal regularities of a hot-cathode vacuum arc with diffuse attachment of the current. The applicability of the model proposed to the explanation of some processes occurring in a vacuum arc, such as the flow of fast ions toward the anode, the current cutoffs and voltage bursts, and the backward motion of a cathode spot in a transverse magnetic field is discussed     

Characterization of a RF/dc-magnetron discharge for the sputter deposition of transparent and highly conductive ITO films

A RF-superimposed dc-magnetron sputter process for coating color filter materials with transparent and conducting ITO films was investigated. In this process, the sputtering cathode is excited simultaneously by dc- and RF-power (at 13.56 MHz). This work summarises the measured properties of the gas discharge. Some basic data of the deposited ITO films are given, also. The dependence of the RF portion of the total sputtering power on the discharge voltage has been monitored for different values of total power and process pressure. The ion energy distribution function of the positively charged ions approaching the substrate surface has been measured using a retarding field plasma analyser probe. It was shown that the mean energy of the ions increases with increasing RF portion of the total power. The electron temperature in the body region of the gas discharge has been derived from measurements of the optical emission of the excited species. Received: 3 November 1998 / Accepted: 8 March 1999 / Published online: 14 July 1999     

微空心阴极放电的流体模型模拟

采用流体模型研究了微空心阴极放电(MHCD)的特点，对放电中电场的形成，电子和离子的密度分布，电子能量分布进行了数值模拟.该计算是针对高气压，圆筒形阴极结构下的He放电.结果表明放电中存在空心阴极效应，从电子能量分布可以看出，放电中存在高能电子，放电空间的电场分布主要表现为径向电场.此外，通过改变气压，阴极孔径等参数计算出它们对放电的影响.分析表明减小孔径有利于负辉区更充分的重合.提高气压将缩短阴极位降区. 关键词： 微空心阴极放电 流体模型     

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.     

Measurements of the Cathode Fall Characteristics in an Electron Beam Ionized Discharge

Measurements of cathode fall characteristics and of the influence of the cathode fall on the discharge properties of an electron beam ionized discharge (EBD) are reported. Gases investigated included methane, nitrogen, and argon. The cathode fall voltage was found to be a function of discharge current, voltage, gas type and pressure, and the rate of external ionization. At low discharge voltages, the cathode sheath region was found to require microseconds to get established. Added attaching gases had little influence on the cathode fall. Extrapolating to high rates of external ionization, the cathode fall voltage still can be expected to be hundreds of volts for the gases investigated.     

Endoergic and resonant charge transfer excitation in He-Cu discharge

The intensity of Cu-II lines with upper level energies near and above those of the He ion was measured as a function of He pressure in a Cu hollow cathode tube. In this tube at low pressures the negative glow could expand above the cathode. The maximum intensity of the Cu-II 493.1 nm line was found in the low voltage, high pressure hollow cathode discharge region in accordance with a resonant charge transfer excitation process. Enhancement of the intensity of the Cu-II 436.5 nm and 417.9 nm lines was observed in the cathode glow at low pressures. Excitation of these lines is attributed to endoergic charge transfer collisions between He ions accelerated by the 2 kV tube voltage and ground state Cu atoms. The cross-section for this reaction exciting the 436.5 nm line was estimated to be of the order of 10^–17 cm².     

Experimental investigation of the energy distribution of sputtered excited target atoms bombarded by medium-energy ions

In this paper we experimentally investigate the parameter dependence of a model energy distribution of excited potassium atoms, knocked out by bombarding a KCl monocrystal with normally incident Ar⁺ ions, on the ion energy and the partial oxygen pressure in the chamber. On the basis of the obtained results a model of the energy distribution is proposed that corresponds to the kinetic formation mechanism for the excited atoms during the sputtering of the target.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 3, pp. 9–12, March, 1985.     

Analysis of a hollow-cathode reflex discharge in a hydrocarbon flow

Variation of parameters of a reflex discharge with a hollow cathode operating continuously in propane with a flow rate of 1.3–5.6 (m³ mPa)/s and a discharge current of 0.1–0.4 A is analyzed. It is shown that for a hydrocarbon flow rate of 2.4 (m³ mPa)/s and higher, an increase in the discharge voltage takes place after a time interval depending on the discharge current and gas pressure; this is explained by the formation of coating of the dissociation products of hydrocarbon molecules on the electrodes of the discharge chamber. An increase in the thickness of the carbon coating of the cathodes with time and their charging with ions lead to electric breakdown of coatings and the formation of cathode spots. The oscillograms of the discharge current and voltage indicate a short-term transformation of the glow discharge into the arc discharge. The energy spectra of ions emerging from the discharge are measured, and the effect of the discharge current and the gas flow rate on the energy spread of ions is analyzed. The operation time of the discharge in hydrocarbon after which the cleaning of the discharge chamber is required is determined. The possibility of using an ion source based on the reflex discharge with a hollow cathode for technological purposes is established.     

Objektzerstäubung im Elektronen-Emissionsmikroskop in Abhängigkeit von Art und Energie der Ionen

In an emission electron microscope with ion induced electron emission the dependence of emission current and cathode sputtering under ion bombardment on discharge voltage, type of discharge gas and specimen material is measured. If high image intensity and little cathode sputtering is desired, a discharge gas of small molecular mass and high ion energies should be used. Under such conditions it is possible to observe a specimen in an emission microscope over a longer period without appreciable specimen changes due to cathode sputtering during observation.     

Peculiarities of grid control over the current in a discharge with a cathode spot on the cesium liquid-metal cathode

We report on the results of successful implementation of full grid control in a cesium discharge with a cathode spot. The discharge is quenched by a negative grid pulse for a discharge current density up to 75 A/cm² in the grid plane for voltage switching up to 100 V in the pressure range 0.5–1.5 Pa for a voltage drop of 5–6 V in the discharge. It is shown that quenching is the break-off type. The discovered effect of “evacuation” of the heavy component (ions) from the grid-anode gap to the cathode region leads to an unusually long (hundreds of microseconds) time of stabilization of the steady state in the discharge under the experimental conditions.     

Excitation of UV radiation by a pulsed-periodic discharge in xenon

Optoelectrical characteristics of a pulsed-periodic discharge in xenon are investigated experimentally under conditions such that the product of the electrode gap length and the gas pressure is in the range of 4–20 Torr cm. High conversion efficiency of the energy deposited into vacuum UV radiation in a discharge sustained by 0.1-gms voltage pulses at a repetition rate of 1–10 kHz is demonstrated. It is shown that this effect is related to the fast expansion of the negative glow occurring after each discharge ignition. The conditions are determined under which the discharge is not accompanied by the heating and sputtering of the cathode.     

On the problem of the role played by photoemission in the mechanism of a discharge with a hollow cathode

The paper investigates the arc voltage and certain characteristics of the luminescence of a discharge in helium with a cylindrical hollow cathode in a magnetic field. Based on a comparison of the effect of a magnetic field on the electrical and optical characteristics of the discharge, the role played in the discharge mechanism by photoemission from the cathode is discussed.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 15, No. 4, pp. 631–633, April, 1972.     

Full-dimensional Monte Carlo simulation of glow discharges with superposed magnetic fields

A Monte Carlo simulation code is described that is suitable for modelling low-pressure glow discharges that possess cylindrical symmetry, but are of otherwise completely variable geometry. In this single-particle simulation in 3 space and 3 velocity dimensions, an entire discharge including the cathode fall can be modelled with or without magnetic fields of arbitrary shape. Electric and magnetic fields are given externally and are not adjusted self-consistently. Collision processes are modelled in great detail, and cathode sputtering phenomena are also included in the simulation. This simulation code is applied to hollow cathode discharges with and without superimposed magnetic fields and to a Penning discharge. Exemplary results are shown that include density profiles of cathode-sputtered atoms, energy distribution functions of electrons and cathode sputtering effects for a Penning discharge. Comparisons to results from experiment and other simulations are given.     

Bombardment of alkali halide crystals with medium-energy atoms

The sputtering characteristics of KCl and NaCl alkali halide single crystals by bombardment with argon and mercury atoms are investigated. The sputtering coefficients are measured in the energy range 0.5–3 keV. Anisotropy is found in sputtering at various incident angles of the beam. The yield of charged particles during bombardment of thin specimens (of the order of 8–20 m) of KCl single crystals is investigated.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 7, pp. 55–59, July, 1984.     

“Titan,” a source of gas and metal ions based on a contracted discharge and vacuum arc

Titan ion sources are capable of generating wide aperture beams of both gas and metal ions of different types: Mg, Al, Ti, Cu, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Sm, Zn, W, Pb, Ta, Re, Y, C, He, N, Ar, Xe. This is made possible by combining two types of cold cathode arc discharges in the discharge system. Metal ions are obtained using a vacuum arc ignited between a cathode made of the ion-forming material and a hollow anode. Gas ions are obtained using a low-pressure contracted arc discharge ignited on the same hollow anode. In pulsed operation the accelerating voltage of the source is regulated from 10 to 100 kV. The pulse current of both gas and metal ions is 0.3–0.5 A with a pulse duration of approximately 400 µs and a pulse repetition rate of up to 50 Hz. During continuous operation at an accelerating voltage as high as 10 kV, the ion current reaches tens of milliamperes. In this article the operating principle of the source is discussed, along with some physical peculiarities which arise during the formation and transport of high-current ions beams, and the design of the ion source is presented.Institute of High-Current Electronics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 3, pp. 53–65, March, 1994.