Transport of ionized metal atoms in high-power pulsed magnetron discharges assisted by inductively coupled plasma

Transporting metallic ions from the magnetron cathode to the substrate is essential for an efficient thin-film deposition process. This letter examines how inductively coupled plasma superimposed onto a high-power pulsed magnetron discharge can influence the mobility of titanium ions. To this effect, time-resolved optical emission and absorption spectrometry are conducted and the current at the substrate is measured. With this new hybrid technique, ions are found to reach the substrate in two successive waves. Metal ions, only present in the second wave, are found to accelerate proportionally to the power supplied to the inductively coupled plasma. All the measurements in this study are made at 10 and 30 mTorr, with 10 mu s long pulses at the magnetron cathode. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.