Reactive d.c. high-rate sputtering as production technology

Schiller, S.; Heisig, U.; Korndörfer, Chr.; Beister, G.; Reschke, J.; Steinfelder, K.; Strümpfel, J.

doi:10.1016/0257-8972(87)90206-4

Cited by 114 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…A number of studies have been performed to stabilize the reactive process in the transition regime and to obtain stoichiometric deposited layers, for example, by increasing the pumping speed [3], reducing the target area [4] or by utilizing a fast feedback control of the reactive gas flow by monitoring the partial pressure [5], by monitoring the optical emission of the plasma, which is called plasma emission monitoring (PEM) [6], or by varying the cathode voltage [7]. Some of the drawbacks from these feedback control systems of the reactive gas flow are the additional complexity and cost for the monitoring devices and the reaction time delay in gas flow control to stabilize the plasma state.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Process stabilization by peak current regulation in reactive high-power impulse magnetron sputtering of hafnium nitride

Shimizu¹,

Villamayor²,

Lundin³

et al. 2016

J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys.

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Abstract.A simple and cost effective approach to stabilize the sputtering process in the transition zone during reactive high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) is proposed. The method is based on real-time monitoring and control of the discharge current waveforms. To stabilize the process conditions at a given set point, a feedback control system was implemented that automatically regulates the pulse frequency, and thereby the average sputtering power, to maintain a constant maximum discharge current. In the present study, the variation of the pulse current waveforms over a wide range of reactive gas flows and pulse frequencies during a reactive HiPIMS process of Hf-N in an Ar-N 2 atmosphere illustrates that the discharge current waveform is a an excellent indicator of the process conditions. Activating the reactive HiPIMS peak current regulation, stable process conditions were maintained when varying the N 2 flow from 2.1 to 3.5 sccm by an automatic adjustment of the pulse frequency from 600 Hz to 1150 Hz and consequently an increase of the average power from 110 to 270 W. Hf-N films deposited using peak current regulation exhibited a stable stoichiometry, a nearly constant power-normalized deposition rate, and a polycrystalline cubic phase Hf-N with (111)-preferred orientation over the entire reactive gas flow range investigated. The physical reasons for the change in the current pulse waveform for different process conditions are discussed in some detail.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Process stabilization by peak current regulation in reactive high-power impulse magnetron sputtering of hafnium nitride

Shimizu¹,

Villamayor²,

Lundin³

et al. 2016

J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys.

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“…Optical emission spectroscopy is a standard technique for controlling the reactive sputtering process, 22 however, it is commonly used at fixed current and restricted to a single metal emission line. Hence this method is not applicable in the case of variable power, which is preferable due to smaller time constants in comparison with flow control.…”

Section: A Process Stabilizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Properties of aluminum-doped zinc oxide films deposited by high rate mid-frequency reactive magnetron sputtering

Malkomes¹,

Vergöhl²,

Szyszka³

2001

Journal of Vacuum Science &Amp; Technology A: Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films

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Aluminum-doped zinc oxide films are promising candidates for economic transparent conducting oxide (TCO) applications. To reach high deposition rates (about 7 nm/s at 4.5 W/cm²) in combination with optimum TCO properties by using the reactive mid-frequency sputtering technique, the process window must be precisely controlled, especially for unheated substrates. To overcome the typical hysteresis problem, the process was stabilized by plasma impedance control for ease of use; this enabled the stabilization of the deposition process at any setpoint on the S-curve of the corresponding hysteresis loop. Hence in contrast to former work [B. Szyszka, Thin Solid Films 351, 164 (1999)], wherein a flow control at fixed power restricted the stabilization either to the metallic mode or to the oxide mode, respectively, the samples were prepared at various deposition parameters (setpoint, pressure, and temperature) also within the transition mode. It turns out that for certain process parameters optimum TCO properties were achieved only within this transition mode, which was not accessible without control. Electrical measurements indicated that the optimum resistivity of ZnO:Al films deposited on unheated substrates was about 2.5 times higher than at a substrate temperature of 200 °C. In the latter case, an improved value of 290 µOmega cm at 1.2 mTorr total pressure and 250 µOmega cm at 13.2 mTorr, respectively, could be reached. Due to band-gap widening, which follows the Burstein-Moss theory, the optimum films showed a neutral color. For those samples, the ellipsometric spectra could be well modeled without using interface layers, indicating the dense structure of the films. The process state on the stabilized S-curves was characterized by partial pressure measurements and optical emission spectroscopy (OES). These investigations show that it is also possible to stabilize the process at fixed flow with a modified OES control using the process power at the control varible, and using the ratio of an oxygen and a metal emission line as the controlled variable

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“…For this purpose, the plasma emission monitor (PEM) technique can be employed which is already well established as a process control tool for large-area reactive sputter deposition. [14][15][16] In this work, we demonstrate for the first time the multi-target reactive sputter deposition of a ZrO 2 barrier layer and a PZT thin film in one process run onto a 150 mm oxidized silicon wafers. The PZT film may be polarized in-plane and is thus suitable for piezoelectric application.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multi-target reactive sputtering—A promising technology for large-area Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 thin film deposition

Suchaneck¹,

Lin²,

Vidyarthi³

et al. 2007

Journal of the European Ceramic Society

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Reactive d.c. high-rate sputtering as production technology

Cited by 114 publications

References 18 publications

Process stabilization by peak current regulation in reactive high-power impulse magnetron sputtering of hafnium nitride

Process stabilization by peak current regulation in reactive high-power impulse magnetron sputtering of hafnium nitride

Properties of aluminum-doped zinc oxide films deposited by high rate mid-frequency reactive magnetron sputtering

Multi-target reactive sputtering—A promising technology for large-area Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 thin film deposition

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