Influence of Electronegative Gas on the Efficiency of Conventional and Hollow Cathode Magnetron Sputtering Systems

Abstract

The aim of this work is to study the influence of electronegative gas (oxygen at different concentrations) on the electrical characteristics of two configurations of magnetron sputtering systems, namely Hollow Cathode Magnetron Sputtering (HCMS) and Conventional Magnetron Sputtering (CMS). A comparison of the plasma impedances and magnetron efficiency of these systems were carried out through the current-voltage characteristics of the discharges operating at the same pressure and different oxygen concentration on O2/Ar mixtures. The results showed significant variations in the plasma impedance and magnetron efficiency, indicating that HCMS system presents better electrical characteristics than CMS system, i.e., low plasma impedance and high magnetron efficiency. The results indicate that HCMS system is a very interesting technique to be used as deposition system in micro and nanoelectronic processes.

Polycrystalline WO3−x Thin Films Obtained by Reactive DC Sputtering at Room Temperature

“…Therefore, all processes were carried out in the oxide operating mode of the target. The impedance of the discharge increases with the increase of the oxygen content in the chamber, which is attributed to a greater capture of electrons from the plasma due to the high electronegativity of oxygen [ 16 ]. Otherwise, the impedance is always lower when the applied power is higher, which is related to a better sputtering efficiency due to an important increase of the ion current in the plasma at high power [ 17 ].…”