Magnetic system for producing uniform coatings using a filtered cathodic arc

Bilek, M.M.M.; Anders, André; Brown, Ian

doi:10.1088/0963-0252/10/4/309

Cited by 14 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…The cathodes are pulsed using the "triggerless" arc initiation method [13]. The streaming plasma was guided and transported through a curved magnetic macroparticle filter [14] into the magnetic plasma homogenizer [15,16] to deposit highquality films.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electrical properties of a-C: Mo films produced by dual-cathode filtered cathodic arc plasma deposition

Sansongsiri

Anders

Yotsombat

2008

Diamond and Related Materials

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Molybdenum-containing amorphous carbon (a-C:Mo) thin films were prepared using a dual-cathode filtered cathodic arc plasma source with a molybdenum and a carbon (graphite) cathode. The Mo content in the films was controlled by varying the deposition pulse ratio of Mo and C. Film sheet resistance was measured in situ at process temperature, which was close to room temperature, as well as ex situ as a function of temperature (300-515 K) in ambient air. Film resistivity and electrical activation energy were derived for different Mo and C ratios and substrate bias. Film thickness was in the range 8-28 nm. Film resistivity varied from 3.55×10 -4 Ω m to 2.27×10 -6 Ω m when the Mo/C pulse ratio was increased from 0.05 to 0.4, with no substrate bias applied. With carbon-selective bias, the film resistivity was in the range of 4.59×10 -2 and 4.05 Ω m at a Mo/C pulse ratio of 0.05.The electrical activation energy decreased from 3.80×10 -2 to 3.36×10 -4 eV when the Mo/C pulse ratio was increased in the absence of bias, and from 0.19 to 0.14 eV for carbonselective bias conditions. The resistivity of the film shifts systematically with the amounts of Mo and upon application of substrate bias voltage. The intensity ratio of the Raman D-peak and G-peak (I D /I G ) correlated with the pre-exponential factor (σ 0 ) which included charge carrier density and density of states.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electrical properties of a-C: Mo films produced by dual-cathode filtered cathodic arc plasma deposition

Sansongsiri

Anders

Yotsombat

2008

Diamond and Related Materials

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“…It is well known that the Mg ions of a plasma flow of this type have an average charge state number of 1.5; the plasma flow velocity is about 10 5 cm=s, and the erosion rate is in the range 10-100 lg=C. [13][14][15] In our experiment, an annular plasma jet was produced by a metal plasma puff Z-pinch system. The shell material originates from the metal puff due to intense evaporation of the electrode material during the arc operation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…The plasma flows produced due to erosion of the VAD cathode are widely used for fabrication of thin films and coatings. [11][12][13] These plasmas have been much studied. It is well known that the Mg ions of a plasma flow of this type have an average charge state number of 1.5; the plasma flow velocity is about 10 5 cm=s, and the erosion rate is in the range 10-100 lg=C.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Use of vacuum arc plasma guns for a metal puff Z-pinch system

et al. 2011

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The performance of a metal puff Z-pinch system has been studied experimentally. In this type of system, the initial cylindrical shell 4 cm in diameter was produced by ten plasma guns. Each gun initiates a vacuum arc operating between magnesium electrodes. The net current of the guns was 80 kA. The arc-produced plasma shell was compressed by using a 450-kA, 450-ns driver, and as a result, a plasma column 0.3 cm in diameter was formed. The electron temperature of the plasma reached 400 eV at an average ion concentration of 1.85 Á 10 18 cm À3 . The power of the Mg K-line radiation emitted by the plasma for 15-30 ns was 300 MW=cm.

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“…Without special means, a deposited film will have a Gaussian thickness distribution with the thickest area in the center. A magnetic multipole, also known as a magnetic bucket, can be used to flatten the plasma density distribution leading to uniform films [55,56]. Magnetic multipoles can be made from strong permanent magnets or by using a wire structure as shown in Fig.…”

Section: Twist Filter Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ultrathin diamond-like carbon films deposited by filtered carbon vacuum arcs

Anders

Fong

Kulkarni

et al. 2001

IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci.

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Ultrathin (< 5 nm) hard carbon films are of great interest to the magnetic storage industry as the areal density approaches 100 Gbit/in 2 . These films are used as overcoats to protect the magnetic layers on disk media and the active elements of the read-write slider. Tetrahedral amorphous carbon films can be produced by filtered cathodic arc deposition, but the films will only be accepted by the storage industry only if the "macroparticle" issue has been solved. Better plasma filters have been developed over recent years. Emphasis is put on the promising twist filter system -a compact, open structure that operates with pulsed arcs and high magnetic field. Based on corrosion tests it is shown that the macroparticle reduction by the twist filter is satisfactory for this demanding application, while plasma throughput is very high. Ultrathin hard carbon films have been synthesized using Sfilter and twist filter systems. Film properties such as hardness, elastic modulus, wear, and corrosion resistance have been tested. Index Terms: diamond-like carbon, cathodic vacuum arc, macroparticle filtering, magnetic storage, carbon overcoats 3 I. INTRODUCTIONUltrathin (< 5 nm) hard carbon films are used as protective overcoats on hard disks and readwrite heads. The tribological properties of the head-disk interface are not only of mechanical but also of chemical nature: the overcoat should protect the magnetic layers against wear and corrosion [1, 2]. The areal density of information stored in disk drive products increased at an amazing rate of over 65% for many years rate, and continues to accelerate to even greater rates [3]. To accomplish this, the "magnetic spacing" between the magnetic layers of the disk and read/write sensor of the head must continue to decrease. The magnetic spacing includes the overcoats, lubrication, and the fly height. Thinner overcoats allow the read-write head to be closer to the magnetic layer of the disk, and hence, the size of individual bits on the disk to be smaller. As we work toward an areal density of 100 Gbit/in 2 , the magnetic spacing approaches the sub-10-nm regime (pseudo-contact recording) and overcoat thickness must shrink to 1-2 nm. Overcoats currently used are sputtered or ion-beam deposited diamond-like carbon films, typically doped with hydrogen or nitrogen. They cease to provide acceptable levels of corrosion protection when the film thickness is less than 5 nm.Overcoats need to be tough (hard and elastic), chemically inert, pinhole-free, and compatible with the lubricant. The challenge of ultrathin film synthesis is to make the films as thin as possible and still continuous, as opposed to an assembly of islands.Nucleation and growth of ultrathin films is a field of intense research. For carbon, it is well known that films that are rich in sp 3 (diamond) bonds should be grown in a kinetic mode at low temperature (less than 200°C, preferably room temperature), with film-forming carbon atoms or ions having an energy of about 100 eV. This energy is optimized for subplantat...

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Magnetic system for producing uniform coatings using a filtered cathodic arc

Cited by 14 publications

References 22 publications

Electrical properties of a-C: Mo films produced by dual-cathode filtered cathodic arc plasma deposition

Electrical properties of a-C: Mo films produced by dual-cathode filtered cathodic arc plasma deposition

Use of vacuum arc plasma guns for a metal puff Z-pinch system

Ultrathin diamond-like carbon films deposited by filtered carbon vacuum arcs

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