Optical emission spectroscopy of the sputtering process in the triode system

The results of spectroscopic investigation of plane plasma discharge and sputtering processes in the triode system are presented. The forced electric discharge with currents of 1–4 A at an argon pressure of 1 mTorr was studied using the emission spectroscopy method. The spectra of plasma discharge were observed in the 200–1100 nm wavelength range. Two metal targets, gold and silver, were used for sputtering. It was found that a part of sputtered particles is ionized in plasma. The emission spectra of the ionized gold and silver species were observed as a function of target voltage while sputtering. It was shown that the number of ionized metal species depends on the energy of argon ions.     

Thermal effects in low-pressure plane plasma apparatus for thin films applications

Thermal effects in a low-pressure plane plasma discharge were obtained in a novel implementation of triode sputtering method. This plane plasma discharge is formed in a relatively low vapor pressure of 0.03-0.65 Pa. Electron beam temperature and ion beam concentration distribution, as well as their dependence on argon pressure within the plasma, were experimentally studied, using the Langmuir probe technique. The influence of an external magnetic field on the ion beam concentration, and electron beam temperature, were studied too. As a result of these studies, sputtering of various materials was done using the novel plane plasma discharge method. This method enables the deposition of homogeneous thin film coatings. Analysis is done on Cu sputtered layers with plane plasma discharge. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.