Characteristics and Operation Conditions of a Closed-Field Unbalanced Dual Magnetrons Plasma Sputtering System

Bahaa T. Chiad¹, Mohammad K. Khalaf², Firas J. Kadhim¹, Oday A. Hammadi^3*

¹Department of Physics, College of Science, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq.
²Center of Applied Physics, Ministry of Science and Technology, Baghdad, Iraq.
³Department of Physics, College of Education, Al-Iraqia University, Baghdad, Iraq.

DOI: 10.4236/oalib.1100650                

Abstract

In this work, a home-made closed-field unbalanced magnetron system for plasma sputtering purposes was constructed and operated. The effect of magnetron was introduced by comparing the obtained Paschen’s curve in existence of magnetron with and without magnetron. Characterization of Paschen’s curve as well as discharge current with gas pressure at different distances between the discharge electrodes was introduced. Optimum conditions to operate such home-made system for sputtering purpose were determined.

Keywords

Physical Vapor Deposition, Sputtering, Magnetron Sputtering, Paschen’s Law

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	McClanahan, E.D. and Laegreid, N. (1991) Production of Thin Films by Controlled Deposition of Sputtered Material. Topics in Applied Physics, 64, 339-377. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/3540534288_21
[2]	Rademacher, D., Zickenrott, T. and Vergöhl, M. (2013) Sputtering of Dielectric Single Layers by Metallic Mode Reactive Sputtering and Conventional Reactive Sputtering from Cylindrical Cathodes in a Sputter-Up Configuration. Thin Solid Films, 532, 98-105. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tsf.2012.11.101
[3]	Baek, J.-S. and Kim, Y.J. (2006) Cooling Effect Enhancement in Magnetron Sputtering System. 5th International Conference on CFD in the Process Industries CSIRO, Melbourne, 13-15 December 2006, 1-5.
[4]	Kelly, P.J. and Arnell, R.D. (2000) Magnetron Sputtering: A Review of Recent Developments and Applications. Vacuum, 56, 159-172. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0042-207X(99)00189-X
[5]	Arnell, R.D. and Kelly, P.J. (1999) Recent Advances in Magnetron Sputtering. Surface and Coatings Technology, 112, 170-176. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0257-8972(98)00749-X
[6]	Walkowicz, J., Zykov, A., Dudin, S. and Yakovin, S. (2006) ICP Enhanced Reactive Magnetron Sputtering System for Synthesis of Alumina Coatings. Tribologia, 6, 163-174.
[7]	Ashenford, D.E., Long, F., Hagston, W.E., Lunn, B. and Matthews, A. (1999) Experimental and Theoretical Studies of the Low-Temperature Growth of Chromia and Alumina. Surface and Coatings Technology, 116-119, 699-704. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0257-8972(99)00181-4
[8]	Sigmund, P. (1981) Topics in Applied Physics, Vol. 47. Sputtering by Particle Bombardment I. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
[9]	Taherkhani, F. and Taherkhani, A. (2010) Surface Characterization of Through Cage Plasma Nitriding on the Surface Properties of Low Alloy Steel. Transaction B: Mechanical Engineering, 17, 253-263.
[10]	Wehner, G.K. and Anderson, G.S. (1983) Vacuum Technology, Thin Films and Sputtering: An Introduction. Academic Press, New York.
[11]	Bogaerts, A., Neyts, E., Gijbels, R. and van der Mullen, J. (2002) Gas Discharge Plasmas and Their Applications (Review). Spectrochimica Acta Part B, 57, 609-658. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0584-8547(01)00406-2
[12]	Kotp, E.F. and Al-Ojeery, A.A. (2012) Studies the Effect of Magnetic Field on Argon Plasma Characteristics. Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 6, 817-825.
[13]	Personick, S.D. (1971) Statistics of a General Class of Avalanche Detectors with Applications to Optical Communications. Bell System Technical Journal, 50, 3075-3095. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/j.1538-7305.1971.tb01847.x
[14]	Wang, J.-C., Leoni, N., Birecki, H., Gila, O. and Kushner, M.J. (2013) Electron Current Extraction from Radio Frequency Excited Micro-Dielectric Barrier Discharges. Journal of Applied Physics, 113, Article ID: 033301.
[15]	Window, B. and Savvides, N. (1986) Charged Particle Fluxes from Planar Magnetron Sputtering Sources. Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A, 4, 196. http://dx.doi.org/10.1116/1.573470
[16]	Makabe, T. and Petrovic, Z. (2006) Plasma Electronics: Applications in Microelectronic Device Fabrication. Taylor & Francis, New York, 301.