Three-step decay of the plasma density near the substrate in pulsed-dc magnetron sputtering discharge

The plasma density near the substrate in a pulsed-dc magnetron sputtering source was measured using a time-resolved, wave-cutoff probe method. The decay of the plasma density during the off-phase had three periods with different decay times. In this paper, this type of decay is referred to as '...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Plasma sources science & technology 2009-11, Vol.18 (4), p.045029-045029 (8)
Main Authors: In, J H, Na, B K, Seo, S H, Chang, H Y, Han, J G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Electronic tubes, masers
Electronics
Exact sciences and technology
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Summary:The plasma density near the substrate in a pulsed-dc magnetron sputtering source was measured using a time-resolved, wave-cutoff probe method. The decay of the plasma density during the off-phase had three periods with different decay times. In this paper, this type of decay is referred to as 'three-step decay'. The three-step decay characteristics were examined under various conditions. From deduction using a number of references and the experimental results of tests done as part of this study, the spatial reversal of the plasma potential is assumed to cause three-step decay of the plasma density. In addition, the density decay time varied with the change in the magnetic field. This result indicates the existence of the magnetic field confinement effect on the plasma near the substrate during the off-phase.
ISSN:0963-0252
1361-6595
DOI:10.1088/0963-0252/18/4/045029