Characterization of the Plasma Properties of a Reverse Polarity Planar Magnetron Operated as an Ion Source

In the present study the possibility of using a planar magnetron configuration as an ion source has been studied by inverting the polarity of a DC magnetron. The characterization of the plasma properties has been performed under various operating conditions using retarding potential analyzer (RPA), Langmuir probe, and Faraday cup. The ion energy is 291 eV at 490 V anode voltage and pressure of 5 × 10−4 mbar measured using a RPA. Also the ion density is ∼1012 per cm3 as measured by Langmuir probe. Spread in energy is less (∼3 eV) at lower pressure and at higher anode voltage. This configuration behaves very well like an ion source and can be used for sputter cleaning of substrates and for ion beam-assisted deposition applications.

[1]  J. Malherbe,et al.  Production of Nanowires on Semiconductor Surfaces by Ion Bombardment , 2004 .

[2]  N. Lee,et al.  Characterization of the Sn Doped In2O3 Film Prepared by DC Magnetron Sputter Type Negative Metal Ion Beam Deposition , 2004 .

[3]  N. Hershkowitz,et al.  First experimental measurements of the plasma potential throughout the presheath and sheath at a boundary in a weakly collisional plasma. , 2002, Physical review letters.

[4]  J. Foster.  Compact plasma accelerator device , 2002 .

[5]  N. Paik,et al.  The characterization of a magnetron-sputter-type negative-ion source , 2002 .

[6]  H. Kurz,et al.  Self-organized quantum dot formation by ion sputtering , 2000 .

[7]  Doyeon Kim,et al.  Ion-beam characteristics of novel helicon ion sources for different plasma parameters , 2000 .

[8]  K. Riemann,et al.  The influence of collisions on the plasma sheath transition , 1997 .

[9]  E. Passoth,et al.  An experimental study of plasma density determination by a cylindrical Langmuir probe at different pressures and magnetic fields in a cylindrical magnetron discharge in heavy rare gases , 1997 .

[10]  Y. Ahn,et al.  Defect‐induced nucleation of sputter‐deposited gold on graphite , 1995 .

[11]  C. L. Enloe,et al.  High‐resolution retarding potential analyzer , 1994 .

[12]  E. Oks.  Physics and technique of plasma electron sources , 1992 .

[13]  W. Ensinger,et al.  Ion bombardment during thin film deposition and its influence on mechanical and chemical surface properties , 1991 .

[14]  I. Hutchinson.  Principles of Plasma Diagnostics , 1987 .