Sputter Rate Distribution and Compositional Variations in Films Sputtered from Elemental and Multi-Element Targets at Different Pressures

Erik Särhammar; Erik Strandberg; Nicolas Martin; Tomas Nyberg

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140302.14

| Peer-Reviewed |

Sputter Rate Distribution and Compositional Variations in Films Sputtered from Elemental and Multi-Element Targets at Different Pressures

Erik Särhammar, Erik Strandberg, Nicolas Martin, Tomas Nyberg

Received: 12 February 2014 Accepted: Published: 28 February 2014

Views: Downloads:

Download PDF

Share This Article

Twitter
Linked In
Facebook

Abstract

We report on the quantitative dependence of the deposition rate during magnetron sputtering as a function of the atomic mass, processing pressure and substrate location relative to the target. Targets made of four different materials (C, Al, Ti and Ta), ranging from very light to rather heavy atomic masses, were investigated theoretically initially to determine the deposition rate distribution of the sputtered atoms. In the second part, targets made of different combinations of these materials (Ta/C, Ta/Al, Ta/Ti and Ti/Al) were sputtered to investigate the compositional variations of deposited films. The different targets were sputtered at both low (0.27 Pa) and high (2.7 Pa) pressures, and both the deposition rates and compositions were determined at four different locations in the chamber. Further, Monte Carlo simulations were performed for the sputtered atoms in a simplified model of the vacuum chamber. Simulation and experiments are in adequate agreement and show a significant influence of the processing pressure on the deposition rate in various locations of the chamber. This effect is different for different target compositions and may sometimes result in very large compositional variations in films sputtered from segmented multi-element or alloy targets. Transport phenomena of the sputtered particles are also discussed based on a ballistic or diffusion-like process, depending on the sputtering pressure, mass and size of the sputtered atom as well as location in the deposition chamber. Since the materials studied range from light to heavy and the processing pressures cover the values where sputtering normally takes place, the results in this work can be extrapolated to predict the deposition profiles and compositional gradients for arbitrary material combinations and processing pressures.

DOI	10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140302.14
Published in	International Journal of Materials Science and Applications (Volume 3, Issue 2, March 2014)
Page(s)	29-36
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Magnetron Sputtering, Deposition Rate Distribution, Monte Carlo Simulations, Gas Scattering

References

[1]	DT. Motohiro and Y. Taga, "Monte Carlo simulation of the particle transport process in sputter deposition," Thin Solid Films 112, 161 (1984).
[2]	C. Vitelaru, L. de Poucques, T. M. Minea, and G. Popa, "Space-resolved velocity and flux distributions of sputtered Ti atoms in a planar circular magnetron discharge," Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 20, 045020 (2011).
[3]	F. Boydens, W. P. Leroy, R. Persoons, and D. Depla, "The influence of target surface morphology on the deposition flux during direct-current magnetron sputtering," Thin Solid Films 531, 32 (2013).
[4]	K. Macàk, P. Macàk, and U. Helmersson, "Monte Carlo simulations of the transport of sputtered particles," Computer Physics Communications 120, 238 (1999).
[5]	A. Malaurie and A. Bessaudou, "Numerical simulation of the characteristics of the different metallic species falling on the growing film in d.c. magnetron sputtering," Thin Solid Films 286, 305 (1996).
[6]	P. K. Petrov, V. A. Volpyas, and R. A. Chakalov, "Three-dimensional Monte Carlo simulation of sputtered atom transport in the process of ion-plasma sputter deposition of multicomponent thin film," Vacuum 52, 427 (1999).
[7]	J. Stache, "Hybrid modeling of deposition profiles in magnetron sputtering systems," J. Vac. Sci. technol. A 12, 2867 (1994).
[8]	T. Nakano and S. Baba, "Gas pressure effects on thickness uniformity and circumvented deposition during sputter deposition process," Vacuum 80, 647 (2006).
[9]	G. Yamamura and N. Ishida, "Monte Carlo simulation of the thermalization of sputtered atoms and reflected atoms in the magnetron sputtering discharge," J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 13, 101 (1995).
[10]	G. M. Turner, I. S. Falconer, B. W. James, and D. R. McKenzie, "Monte Carlo calculations of the properties of sputtered atoms at a substrate surface in a magnetron discharge," J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 10, 455 (1992).
[11]	M. Horkel, K. Van Aeken, C. Eisenmenger-Sittner, D. Depla, S. Mahieu, and W.P. Leroy, "Experimental determination and simulation of the angular distribution of the metal flux during magnetron sputter deposition," J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 43, 075302 (2010).
[12]	W. D. Westwood, "Calculation of deposition rates in diode sputtering systems," J. Vac. Sci. Technol., 15, 1 (1978).
[13]	A. M. Myers, J. R. Doyle, J. R. Abelson, and D. N. Ruzic, "Monte Carlo simulations of magnetron sputtering particle transport," J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 9, 614 (1991).
[14]	K. Van Haeken, S. Mahieu, and D. Depla, "The metal flux from a rotating cylindrical magnetron: a Monte Carlo simulation," J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 41, 205307 (2008).
[15]	T. Yagisawa and T. Makabe, "Modeling of dc magnetron plasma for sputtering: Transport of sputtered copper atoms," J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 24, 908 (2006).
[16]	S. Mahieu, G. Buyle, D. Depla, S. Heirwegh, P. Ghekiere, and R. De Gryse, "Monte Carlo simulation of the transport of atoms in DC magnetron sputtering," Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. B 243, 313 (2006).
[17]	J. Neidhardt, et. al., "Experiment and simulation of the compositional evolution of TiB thin films deposited by sputtering of a compound target," Journal of applied physics, 104, (2008).
[18]	L. R. Shaginyan, M. Mišina, S. Kadlec, L. Jastrabk, A. Macková, and V. Peina, "Mechanism of the film composition formation during magnetron sputtering of WTi," J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 19, 2554 (2001)
[19]	S. B. Krupanidhi and M. Sayer, "Position and pressure in rf magnetron reactive sputter deposition of piezoelectric zinc oxide," J. Appl. Phys. 56, 3308 (1984).
[20]	J. F. Ziegler, J. Biersack, M. D. Littmark, "The Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter," New York: Pergamon Press (1985). ISSN 0891-5490.
[21]	W. Eckstein, "Computer Simulation of Ion-Solid Interactions," Springer-Verlag, Volume 10, 1991, ISBN 978-3-642-73515-8
[22]	E. Clementi, D. L. Raimondi, and W. P. Reinhardt, "Atomic screening constants from SCF functions. II. Atoms with 37 to 86 electrons," J. Chem. Phys. 47, 1300 (1967).
[23]	E. Clementi and D. L. Raimondi, "Atomic screening constants from SCF functions," J. Chem. Phys. 38, 2686 (1963).
[24]	J. F. O’Hanlon, "A user’s guide to vacuum technology," John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey, 2003). ISBN 0-471-81242-0
[25]	K. Wittmaack, "Reliability of a popular simulation code for predicting sputtering yields of solids and range of low-energy ions," J. Appl. Phys. 96, 2632 (2004).
[26]	N. Matsunami, Y. Yamamura, Y. Itikawa, N. Itoh, Y. Kazumata, S. Miyagawa, K. Morita, R. Shimizu, H. Tawara, "Energy dependence of the ion-induced sputtering yields of monoatomic solids," Atomic Data and Nuclear Data Tables, v.31, p.1-80 (1984).

Cite This Article

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Erik Särhammar, Erik Strandberg, Nicolas Martin, Tomas Nyberg. (2014). Sputter Rate Distribution and Compositional Variations in Films Sputtered from Elemental and Multi-Element Targets at Different Pressures. International Journal of Materials Science and Applications, 3(2), 29-36. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140302.14

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Erik Särhammar; Erik Strandberg; Nicolas Martin; Tomas Nyberg. Sputter Rate Distribution and Compositional Variations in Films Sputtered from Elemental and Multi-Element Targets at Different Pressures. Int. J. Mater. Sci. Appl. 2014, 3(2), 29-36. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140302.14

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Erik Särhammar, Erik Strandberg, Nicolas Martin, Tomas Nyberg. Sputter Rate Distribution and Compositional Variations in Films Sputtered from Elemental and Multi-Element Targets at Different Pressures. Int J Mater Sci Appl. 2014;3(2):29-36. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140302.14

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140302.14,
  author = {Erik Särhammar and Erik Strandberg and Nicolas Martin and Tomas Nyberg},
  title = {Sputter Rate Distribution and Compositional Variations in Films Sputtered from Elemental and Multi-Element Targets at Different Pressures},
  journal = {International Journal of Materials Science and Applications},
  volume = {3},
  number = {2},
  pages = {29-36},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140302.14},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140302.14},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijmsa.20140302.14},
  abstract = {We report on the quantitative dependence of the deposition rate during magnetron sputtering as a function of the atomic mass, processing pressure and substrate location relative to the target. Targets made of four different materials (C, Al, Ti and Ta), ranging from very light to rather heavy atomic masses, were investigated theoretically initially to determine the deposition rate distribution of the sputtered atoms. In the second part, targets made of different combinations of these materials (Ta/C, Ta/Al, Ta/Ti and Ti/Al) were sputtered to investigate the compositional variations of deposited films. The different targets were sputtered at both low (0.27 Pa) and high (2.7 Pa) pressures, and both the deposition rates and compositions were determined at four different locations in the chamber. Further, Monte Carlo simulations were performed for the sputtered atoms in a simplified model of the vacuum chamber. Simulation and experiments are in adequate agreement and show a significant influence of the processing pressure on the deposition rate in various locations of the chamber. This effect is different for different target compositions and may sometimes result in very large compositional variations in films sputtered from segmented multi-element or alloy targets. Transport phenomena of the sputtered particles are also discussed based on a ballistic or diffusion-like process, depending on the sputtering pressure, mass and size of the sputtered atom as well as location in the deposition chamber. Since the materials studied range from light to heavy and the processing pressures cover the values where sputtering normally takes place, the results in this work can be extrapolated to predict the deposition profiles and compositional gradients for arbitrary material combinations and processing pressures.},
 year = {2014}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Sputter Rate Distribution and Compositional Variations in Films Sputtered from Elemental and Multi-Element Targets at Different Pressures
AU  - Erik Särhammar
AU  - Erik Strandberg
AU  - Nicolas Martin
AU  - Tomas Nyberg
Y1  - 2014/02/28
PY  - 2014
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140302.14
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140302.14
T2  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
JF  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
JO  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
SP  - 29
EP  - 36
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2327-2643
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140302.14
AB  - We report on the quantitative dependence of the deposition rate during magnetron sputtering as a function of the atomic mass, processing pressure and substrate location relative to the target. Targets made of four different materials (C, Al, Ti and Ta), ranging from very light to rather heavy atomic masses, were investigated theoretically initially to determine the deposition rate distribution of the sputtered atoms. In the second part, targets made of different combinations of these materials (Ta/C, Ta/Al, Ta/Ti and Ti/Al) were sputtered to investigate the compositional variations of deposited films. The different targets were sputtered at both low (0.27 Pa) and high (2.7 Pa) pressures, and both the deposition rates and compositions were determined at four different locations in the chamber. Further, Monte Carlo simulations were performed for the sputtered atoms in a simplified model of the vacuum chamber. Simulation and experiments are in adequate agreement and show a significant influence of the processing pressure on the deposition rate in various locations of the chamber. This effect is different for different target compositions and may sometimes result in very large compositional variations in films sputtered from segmented multi-element or alloy targets. Transport phenomena of the sputtered particles are also discussed based on a ballistic or diffusion-like process, depending on the sputtering pressure, mass and size of the sputtered atom as well as location in the deposition chamber. Since the materials studied range from light to heavy and the processing pressures cover the values where sputtering normally takes place, the results in this work can be extrapolated to predict the deposition profiles and compositional gradients for arbitrary material combinations and processing pressures.
VL  - 3
IS  - 2
ER  -

Copy | Download

Author Information

Erik Särhammar
Erik Strandberg

Department of Solid State Electronics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
Nicolas Martin

Micro Nano Sciences & Systems Department, Institute FEMTO-ST, Université de Franche-Comté, France
Tomas Nyberg

Department of Solid State Electronics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

Download PDF

Sections

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Erik Särhammar, Erik Strandberg, Nicolas Martin, Tomas Nyberg. (2014). Sputter Rate Distribution and Compositional Variations in Films Sputtered from Elemental and Multi-Element Targets at Different Pressures. International Journal of Materials Science and Applications, 3(2), 29-36. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140302.14

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Erik Särhammar; Erik Strandberg; Nicolas Martin; Tomas Nyberg. Sputter Rate Distribution and Compositional Variations in Films Sputtered from Elemental and Multi-Element Targets at Different Pressures. Int. J. Mater. Sci. Appl. 2014, 3(2), 29-36. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140302.14

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Erik Särhammar, Erik Strandberg, Nicolas Martin, Tomas Nyberg. Sputter Rate Distribution and Compositional Variations in Films Sputtered from Elemental and Multi-Element Targets at Different Pressures. Int J Mater Sci Appl. 2014;3(2):29-36. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140302.14

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140302.14,
  author = {Erik Särhammar and Erik Strandberg and Nicolas Martin and Tomas Nyberg},
  title = {Sputter Rate Distribution and Compositional Variations in Films Sputtered from Elemental and Multi-Element Targets at Different Pressures},
  journal = {International Journal of Materials Science and Applications},
  volume = {3},
  number = {2},
  pages = {29-36},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140302.14},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140302.14},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijmsa.20140302.14},
  abstract = {We report on the quantitative dependence of the deposition rate during magnetron sputtering as a function of the atomic mass, processing pressure and substrate location relative to the target. Targets made of four different materials (C, Al, Ti and Ta), ranging from very light to rather heavy atomic masses, were investigated theoretically initially to determine the deposition rate distribution of the sputtered atoms. In the second part, targets made of different combinations of these materials (Ta/C, Ta/Al, Ta/Ti and Ti/Al) were sputtered to investigate the compositional variations of deposited films. The different targets were sputtered at both low (0.27 Pa) and high (2.7 Pa) pressures, and both the deposition rates and compositions were determined at four different locations in the chamber. Further, Monte Carlo simulations were performed for the sputtered atoms in a simplified model of the vacuum chamber. Simulation and experiments are in adequate agreement and show a significant influence of the processing pressure on the deposition rate in various locations of the chamber. This effect is different for different target compositions and may sometimes result in very large compositional variations in films sputtered from segmented multi-element or alloy targets. Transport phenomena of the sputtered particles are also discussed based on a ballistic or diffusion-like process, depending on the sputtering pressure, mass and size of the sputtered atom as well as location in the deposition chamber. Since the materials studied range from light to heavy and the processing pressures cover the values where sputtering normally takes place, the results in this work can be extrapolated to predict the deposition profiles and compositional gradients for arbitrary material combinations and processing pressures.},
 year = {2014}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Sputter Rate Distribution and Compositional Variations in Films Sputtered from Elemental and Multi-Element Targets at Different Pressures
AU  - Erik Särhammar
AU  - Erik Strandberg
AU  - Nicolas Martin
AU  - Tomas Nyberg
Y1  - 2014/02/28
PY  - 2014
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140302.14
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140302.14
T2  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
JF  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
JO  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
SP  - 29
EP  - 36
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2327-2643
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140302.14
AB  - We report on the quantitative dependence of the deposition rate during magnetron sputtering as a function of the atomic mass, processing pressure and substrate location relative to the target. Targets made of four different materials (C, Al, Ti and Ta), ranging from very light to rather heavy atomic masses, were investigated theoretically initially to determine the deposition rate distribution of the sputtered atoms. In the second part, targets made of different combinations of these materials (Ta/C, Ta/Al, Ta/Ti and Ti/Al) were sputtered to investigate the compositional variations of deposited films. The different targets were sputtered at both low (0.27 Pa) and high (2.7 Pa) pressures, and both the deposition rates and compositions were determined at four different locations in the chamber. Further, Monte Carlo simulations were performed for the sputtered atoms in a simplified model of the vacuum chamber. Simulation and experiments are in adequate agreement and show a significant influence of the processing pressure on the deposition rate in various locations of the chamber. This effect is different for different target compositions and may sometimes result in very large compositional variations in films sputtered from segmented multi-element or alloy targets. Transport phenomena of the sputtered particles are also discussed based on a ballistic or diffusion-like process, depending on the sputtering pressure, mass and size of the sputtered atom as well as location in the deposition chamber. Since the materials studied range from light to heavy and the processing pressures cover the values where sputtering normally takes place, the results in this work can be extrapolated to predict the deposition profiles and compositional gradients for arbitrary material combinations and processing pressures.
VL  - 3
IS  - 2
ER  -

Copy | Download