What Is Plasma Sputtering?

In addition to solid, liquid, and gaseous substances, plasma sputtering has a fourth state, which is the plasma state. Under the action of external high energy, molecules or atoms are dissociated into cations and the same number of anions or electrons. This is generally called plasma. The process of sputtering using plasma is called plasma sputtering.

In cathode sputtering equipment, in order to maintain glow discharge, higher pressure and

After the sputtering chamber was evacuated to a vacuum degree of 10 ^-7 Torr with a vacuum system, high-purity argon gas was charged to reduce the vacuum degree to 1 × 10 ^-8 Torr, and the hot cathode was heated by electric current to make it emit electrons. These electrons collide with argon molecules during the movement to the anode with a positive voltage and ionize to form a plasma. Under the action of the focusing magnetic field, the plasma is focused into a columnar shape, forming a high-density plasma. The positive ions in the target (material to be sputtered) bombard the target surface under the acceleration of the negative voltage, causing them to sputter out atoms. Atoms are deposited in a straight line on the substrate opposite the target to form a sputtered film.

Since plasma sputtering is in

The advantages of plasma sputtering are:

(1) Sputtering can be performed under the conditions of low pressure, low voltage and large current, and the work stability is good;

(2) The speed of film deposition is high, and the purity of the film is high;

(3) film thickness is easy to control;

(4) Insulation materials can be sputtered. ^[2]