An rf sustained argon and copper plasma for ionized physical vapor deposition of copper

Abstract

Langmuir probe, optical emission spectroscopy, and biased quartz crystal microbalance measurements were used to investigate an argon and copper plasma used for ionized physical vapor deposition of copper. Copper vapor generated by a magnetron sputter discharge is ionized upon passing through an argon discharge excited by an internal rf induction antenna. Argon plasma characteristics such as electron temperatures T e , plasma densities n e , and plasma and floating potentials V p and V f , were studied as a function of argon pressure and rf power. An increase of plasma density versus rf discharge power and argon pressure was observed. The radial profile of plasma density measured by a Langmuir probe reveals a peak ion density at the center of the rf antenna and an increase in the radial ion concentration gradient with argon pressure. The ratios of optical emission intensities from Cu ϩ ion and Cu neutral lines increase with rf discharge power and argon pressure. The biased quartz crystal microbalance measurements show an increase of both Cu ϩ ion flux and the ratio of Cu ϩ ion to Cu neutral fluxes with rf power and argon pressure; however, they also show a decrease of total Cu flux with increasing argon pressure.

Ionized physical vapor deposition (IPVD): A review of technology and applications

“…The plasma parameters and their dependence on rf power in an ICP-MS discharge have been measured by several groups [14,[48][49][50][51]. In general, it is found that the ionization, and therefore the ionization flux fraction, increases with increased rf power and pressure.…”

“…In general, it is found that the ionization, and therefore the ionization flux fraction, increases with increased rf power and pressure. Wang et al [48,49] investigated the plasma parameters in an Ar discharge with a Cu target. Fig.…”

Computer Simulation of Metal Ions Transport to Uneven Substrates during Ionized Plasma Vapour Deposition

“…However, for our simulations we used conditions typical for deposition of copper which were used in the experiment in [3]. One of the main variables in this study was RF power.…”

“…Paper [2] described ionization up to 80% for aluminium atoms. Flux fraction of copper ions exceeding 40% was shown in [3]. Afterwards, the metal ions together with ions of the carrier gas move towards the negatively biased substrate.…”

Low temperature fabrication of indium-tin oxide film by using ionized physical vapor deposition method

“…At the high ICP power, re-sputtering from the surface of the ICP tube may occur. As mentioned above, a simple solution is that the RF coil of IPVD is made of the same one as the target material [13][14]. On the other hand, Imbert at al.…”