Monitoring of magnetron target poisoning by measurement of higher harmonics of discharge voltages
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2010 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Plasma physics |
| Keywords | plasma; higher harmonic frequencies; reactive magnetron sputtering |
| Description | A promising method for monitoring of reactive magnetron sputtering, based on the measurement of amplitudes of higher harmonic frequencies of discharge voltages, is proposed. The measurement of the amplitudes can be performed either by an uncompensated probe in the plasma or on the cable between the RF generator and the sputtered target. The sensitivity of the proposed method is significantly better than measurement of other electrical quantities conventionally used for process control. Physical reasons for the change of amplitudes of higher harmonic frequencies during the mode transition were found. The paper shows that the observed changes in amplitudes of higher harmonics by the transition are not caused either by the pressure change, or by the changes in the composition of the gas in the reactor volume. It was found that the amplitudes of higher harmonics reflect primarily the state of the magnetron target poisoning. |
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