Why does a magnetron sputter?
Magnetron sputtering is a dominant technique to grow thin films because a large quantity of thin films can be prepared at relatively high purity and low cost. This involves ejecting material from a “target” that is a source onto a “substrate” such as a silicon wafer, as shown in Figure 1.
What is DC magnetron sputtering?
Magnetron sputtering is a high-rate vacuum coating technique that allows the deposition of many types of materials, including metals and ceramics, onto as many types of substrate materials by the use of a specially formed magnetic field applied to a diode sputtering target.
Why is magnetron sputtering better than DC sputtering?
Deposition rate is low compare to DC sputtering. It is used for smaller substrate sizes due to high cost factor of RF power supplies….RF sputtering.
| Features | DC Sputtering | RF Sputtering |
|---|---|---|
| Sputtering rate | 100% of DC | 20% of DC, no magnetron |
| cost and complexity | Best | Very Good |
| Compaign length (i.e. loss of anode) | Good | Excellent |
How does RF magnetron sputtering work?
RF Magnetron sputtering uses magnets behind the negative cathode to trap electrons over the negatively charged target material so they are not free to bombard the substrate, allowing for faster deposition rates.
How do magnets enhance the sputtering rate in magnetron sputtering process?
In the magnetron sputtering process (fig. left), permanent magnets are placed behind the sputtering target to increase the ion density in front of it: The magnetic field forces the free electrons into helical paths around its magnetic lines.
Why argon is used in sputtering?
The reason for using argon is that it is necessary to replace oxygen and water vapor in highly reactive air with less reactive gases. Nitrogen and argon are often used as lowly reactive gases. Since nitrogen is reactive at high temperatures, argon gas is often used.
What is PVD sputtering?
Sputter deposition is a physical vapor deposition (PVD) method of thin film deposition by the phenomenon of sputtering. This involves ejecting material from a “target” that is a source onto a “substrate” such as a silicon wafer.
What is a sputter tool?
A magnetron sputtering source is a tool to deposit thin film that mounts to a vacuum chamber by means of either flanges or feedthroughs and consists of a water cooled cathode/target holder with an embedded magnet array and appropriate grounded shielding.
How plasma is created in sputtering?
A plasma is created by ionizing a sputtering gas (generally a chemically inert, heavy gas like Argon). The sputtering gas bombards the target and sputters off the material we’d like to deposit. Ions can be generated by the collision of neutral atoms with high energy electrons.
What is sputtering in PVD?