Discharge Plasma and Ion -Surface Interactions

8/13/2019 Discharge Plasma and Ion -Surface Interactions

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Chapter 4

Discharges, Plasmas, andIon-Surface Interactions


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Discharges, Plasmas, and

Ion-Surface Interactions

Sputtering

An ionized gas or plasma

active electrodes that participate in the deposition

Low temperature processing

Eject of atoms by momentum transfer

EvaporationVacuum environment

Passive electrode

Thermally induced evaporation


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Two Sputtering Systems

Several kilovolts are applied and gas pressures usually range from a few to a hundreds

millitorr.


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Plasma

Quasi-neutral gas that exhibits a collective behavior in

the presence of applied electromagnetic fields.

Weakly ionized gases consisting of a collection of

electrons, ions, and neutral atomic and molecular species.

Types of plasmas

Stars (density n < 10

7

cm-3

)Solar winds (density n < 107cm-3)

Coronas (density n < 107cm-3)

Ionosphere (density n < 107cm-3)

Glow discharge (density n = 108~ 1014cm-3)

Arcs (density n = 108~ 1014cm-3)

High-pressure arc (density n ~ 1020cm-3)

Shock tubes (density n ~ 1020cm-3)

Fusion reactors (density n ~ 1020cm-3)


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http://fusedweb.pppl.gov/CPEP/Translations.html


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Principal Glow Discharge Mechanism by

Biased Parallelplate

1. A stray electron near the cathode carrying an initial current iois accelerated towardthe anode by the applied electric field (E).

2. After gaining sufficient energy the electron collides with a neutral gas atom (A)

converting it into a positively charged ion (A+), i.e., e-+ A2e-+ A+.

3. Two electrons are generated and are accelerated and bombard two additional

neutral gas atoms, generating more ions and electrons, and so on.

4. Meanwhile, the electric field drives ions in the opposite direction.5. Ions collide with the cathode, ejecting, among other particles,secondary electrons.

6. Secondary electrons also undergo charge multiplication. (step 2)

7. The effect snowballs until a sufficiently large avalanch current ultimately causes

the gas to breakdown.

http://webhost.ua.ac.be/plasma/pages/glow-discharge.html


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Avalanche Breakdown

AeAe 2


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Townsend Equation

)1(1 de

d

oe

eii

electrodesbetweenDistancedtcoefficienemissionelectronsecondaryTownsend

tcoefficienionizationTownsend

currentchargei

e

::

:

:

Townsend ionization coefficient represents the probability per unit length of ionization

occurring during an electron-gas atom collision.

Townsend secondary-electron emission coefficient is the number of secondary electronsemitted at the cathode per incident ion.


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Townsend Ionization Coefficient

Eq

Ei

e

1

fieldelectricApplied

potentialIonizationE

distancetraveling

chargeElectronq


i

:

:

:

:

:

E

Eq

Ei

e

1

For an electron of charge q traveling a distance , the probability of reaching the

ionization energyEiis .

We may associate with the intercollision distance or mean free path in a gas. Since

~P-1, we expect to be a function of the system pressure.

Ene

rgyE

Probability


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nLA

L

A

L

PRT

N

V

n A #

d

2dA

1

2

PPdN

RT

A

Mean-Free Path


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Derivation of Townsend Equation

(a) The total current I = I-(x) + I+(x), a sum of electron and ion components, is

constant, i.e., independent of x and time.

(b) At the cathodeI-(0)= Io+ eI+(0), with Ioa constant.

(c) Across the gap,d[I-(x)]/dx = I-(x), i.e.,I-(x)= I-(0)exp x.

(d) At the anode,I+(d) =0.

Cathode Anode

d

xdx


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Breakdown Voltage

)]1(1[

d

e

d

oe

eii

Townsend equation

Breakdown is assumed to occur when the denominator of the Townsend equation is equal

to zero, i.e., .1)1( d

e e

1

2

P

PN

RT

A

moleculegasaofDiameter:

EE

ii V

q

E

ee

11

BBB dVde e

EEE1)1(

BPd

APdVB

)ln(

constantsBA :,

electrodesbetweenDistanced

tcoefficienemissionelectronsecondaryTownsend


currentchargei

e

:

:

:

:


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http://www.seas.ucla.edu/prosurf/Publications/paper22-IEEE.pdf

Y. P. Raizer, Gas Discharge Physics.New York: Springer-Verlag, 1991.

Paschens Curve

B

P

BPdAPdVB

)ln(


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Paschens Curve

At low values ofPdthere are few electron-ion collisions and the secondary electron yield

is too low to sustain ionization in the discharge.

At high pressures there are frequent collisions, and since electrons do not acquire

sufficient energy to ionize gas atoms, the discharge is quenched.


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Types and Structures of DischargesTownsend discharge

A tiny current flows initially due to the small number of charge carriers in the system.

With charge multiplication, the current increases rapidly, but the voltage, limited by the

output impedance of the power supply, remains constant.Normal glow

When enough electrons produce sufficient ions to generate the same number of initial

electrons, the discharge becomes self-sustaining.

The gas begins to glow now and the voltage drops accompanied by a sharp rise in current.

Initially, ion bombardment of the cathode is not uniform but concentrated near the

cathode edges or at other surface irregularities.As more power is applied, the bombardment increasingly spreads over the entire surface

until a nearly uniform current density is achieved.

Abnormal discharge

A further increase in power results in both higher voltage and cathode current-density

levels.

The abnormal discharge regime has now been entered and this is the operative domain for

sputtering and other discharge processes such as plasma etching.

Arc

At still higher currents, the cathode gets hotter. Now the thermionic emission of electrons

exceeds that of secondary-electron emission and low-voltage arcs propagate.

Arc is a self-sustained discharge that supports high currents by providing its own

mechanism for electron emission from negative or positive electrodes.


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http://science-education.pppl.gov/SummerInst/SGershman/Structure_of_Glow_Discharge.pdf


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Currentvoltage (iV ) characteristics of direct current (dc) electrical discharge

http://www.spectroscopynow.com/Spy/pdfs/jwfeed/sample_0471606995.pdf

Vbis the breakdown voltage,

Vnis the normal operating voltage, and

Vdis the operating voltage of arc discharge.


18/50http://www.exo.net/~pauld/origins/glowdisharge.html


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http://www.exo.net/~pauld/origins/glowdisharge.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_glow_discharge
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Glow-discharge-schematic.gifhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Glow-discharge-schematic.gif


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Sprite light in the atmosphere (left) and in a laboratory glow discharge tube (right). In

both cases, the light near the positive (anode) end is red and arises from the collisional

excitation of neutral nitrogen molecules by free electrons. Also in both cases, the light

near the negative (cathode) end is blue and arises from the collisional excitation of N2+

ions by free electrons.

http://www.physicstoday.org/pt/vol-54/iss-11/captions/p41cap3.html http://www.emitech.co.uk/sputter-coating-brief3.htm

Sprite and Glow Discharge Tube


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A glass tube, about 16 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter, is hermetically

sealed at both ends. Two metal probes are fused into the tube at each end. Thephysicist applies a potential of a few thousand volts across both probes. With the aid

of a vacuum pump he sucks the airout of the tube, thus lowering the pressure inside

the glass tube.

http://www.newjerusalemnetwork.net/emmanuel/great_wall3.html

Regions in the DC Glow Discharge Tube


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http://www.newjerusalemnetwork.net/emmanuel/great_wall3.html



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AFirst of all, a narrow beam of red lightmoves across the inside of the tube, fromone electrode to the other. As the pressure continues to fall, the beam of light

becomes thicker and soon fills the whole space between the electrodes. Near the one

electrode there appears a blue glow, and at the other a dark space.

If the physicist continues to rarefy the air in the tube, the blue glow turns into a thin

red sheathof light close to the electrode [identified in the illustration to the top-left

as A].

BAfter a region of darkness, known as 'Crookes' dark space' after its discover, thereappears with a well defined edge, the palest part of the electrical discharge, a faint

blue columnof light known as the ' negative glow.

CThis blue glow fades gradually into another dark space, which is followed by aweak red-violent glowknown as the ' posit ive column' or 'plasma.

D In the final stage of the experiment, the air in the tube is rarefied until all thedischarge phenomena disappear. Then, however, the right-hand end of the glass

glows with a Green Fluorescent Light.

Pages 16-18, "Physics For The Modern Mind," Walter R. Fuchs http://www.newjerusalemnetwork.net/emmanuel/great_wall3.html



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Regions in the DC Glow Discharge TubeAlthough the general structure of the discharge has been known for a long time, the

microscopic details of the charge distributions, behavior, and interactions within these

regions are not totally understood.

Cathode

Aston dark

The Aston dark space is very thin and contains both low energy electrons and high

energy positive ions, each moving in opposite directions.

Cathode glow

Beyond the Aston dark the cathode glow appears as a highly luminous layer thatenvelops and clings to the cathode.

De-excitation of positive ions through neutralization is the probable mechanism of

light emission here.

Cathode dark (Crookes)

Next to cathode glow is the cathode dark space, where some electrons are energized to

the point where they begin to impact-ionize neutrals; other lower energy electronsimpact neutrals without ion production.

Because there is relatively little ionization this region is dark.

Most of the discharge voltage is dropped across the cathode dark space.

Cathode dark space is commonly referred to as the cathode sheath.

The resulting electric field serves to accelerate ions toward their eventual collision

with the cathode.


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Negative glowHere the visible emission is apparently due to interactions between assorted secondary

electrons and neutrals with attendant excitation and de-excitation.

During sputtering the substrate is typically placed inside the negative glow before the

Faraday dark space so that the latter as well as the positive column do not normallt

appear.

Faraday darkPositive column

Anode dark

Commonly referred to as the anode sheath.

Anode


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Yu. P. Raizer. Gas Discharge Physics. Springer, Berlin, 1991.

Light intensity

Potential V

Field E

Current

Charge density

Charge density (total)

Potentials along the Tube


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Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 12 (2003) 295301

Regions in the Glow Discharge Tube II


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Potentials along the Tube


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)(1 NNqdxdE

Edx

dV

NN

0

0


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Fundamental of Plasma Physics

Plasma species: electron (ne), ions (ni), and neutral gas (no)

Electron has highest velocity

Electrically neutral: ne= ni

Degree of gas ionization: fi= ne/(ne+no)

fi= 10-4

for glow discharge

Particle energies and temperature:

For glow discharge:

Electron energy = 1 to 10 eV (typically 2 eV)

Effective characteristic temperature Te= E/kB= 23000 K

Neutral gas energy = 0.025 eV, (To= 293 K)

Ion energy = 0.04 eV (Ti= 500 K), acquired from electric field.

Low pressure glow discharge is a nonequilibrium cold plasma.

(if in equilibrium: Ti = To= Te= T)


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Motion in Plasma Species

qn

j4

v

Electrical current density Particle flux Charge

m

TkB

8v

Surface are charged negatively due to greater electron bombardment. ve>vi

4

vv

vv

n

M

RTnd

RT

M

RT

Mn x

xx

2)

2exp(

2 0

2


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m

TkB

8

v

gme28

101.9

KTe 23000

122231038.1 KskgmkB

scme /105.9 7v

gm Ari23

23)( 1064.6

1002.6

40

KTi

500scme /102.5

4v

Charging of Surface in a Plasma

The implication of this calculation is that an isolated surface within the plasma charges

negatively initially because of the greater electron bombardment.

Subsequently, additional electrons are repelled while positive ions are attracted.

Therefore, the surface continues to charge negatively at a decreasing rate until the

electron flux equals the ion flux and there is no net current.


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Mobility: velocity per unit electric field E/v

Mobility in an Electric Field

v

vv

mq

tmq

dt

dm coll

E

E ][

Collision frequency

Electric force Frictional drag

vv coll

t][

m

qm

q

Ev

In the steady state, 0dt

dv

)/( Ev

Typical mobilities for gaseous ions at 1 torr and 273 K range from ~ 4 102cm2/V-s

(for Xe+) to 1.1 104cm2/V-s (for H+).


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Diffusion

dx

dnDnJ

dx

dnDnJ

iiiii

eeeee

E

E

Charge Neutrality, nnnJJJ ieie ,

dx

dn

n

DD

ie

ei

)(

)(

EElectric field developed by separation of charge

An electric field develops because the difference in electron and ion diffusivities

produces a separation of charge.

Physically, more electrons than ions tend to leave the plasma, establishing an electric

field that hinders further electron loss but at the same time enhances ion motion.

)(

)(

ie

ieeia

DDD

Ambipolar diffusion coefficient

Both ions and electrons diffuse faster than intrinsic ions do.

i i C i i i


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Electron Motion in Combined Electric Field

)( Bqdt

md

FforceLorentz

vv

E

elare parallandB E

surfacetargetthetonormalev

0E

Btoangleanate v

Btoangleanate

v

qB

mr

r

mBq

sin

)sin(sin

2

v

vv

Clearly, magnetic fields prolong the electron residence time in the discharge andenhance the probability of ion collisions.


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Electron Motion in Combined Electric Field

dicularare perpenandB E

Electrons emitted normally from the cathode ideally do not even reach the anode but

are trapped near the electrode where they execute a periodic hopping motion over its

surface.

02

2

2

2

2

2

dt

zdm

dt

dxqBq

dt

ydm

dt

dyqBdt

xdm

e

e

e

E


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-5.00E+03

-4.00E+03

-3.00E+03

-2.00E+03

-1.00E+03

0.00E+00

0.00E+00 2.00E-04 4.00E-04 6.00E-04 8.00E-04 1.00E-03 1.20E-03

2

)cos1(

ce

c

m

tqEy

)sin

1(t

t

B

tx

c

c

E HzBm

qB

frequencyCyclotron

Gaussin

e

c )(

6108.2

Electron Trace

Electrons repeatedly return to the cathode at time intervals of /c.

q (Coul) E (V/m) c m

e(Kg) B (Gauss)

1.60E-19 10000 2.80E+07 9.11E-34 10


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Electron Motion in Glow Discharge Plasma

dicularare perpenandB E

Electrons repeatedly return to the cathode at time intervals of /c.

Electron motion is strictly confined to the cathode dark space where both fields are

present.However, if electrons stray into the negative glow region where E is small, they

describe a circular orbit before collisions may drive them either back into the dark

space or forward toward the anode.

Confinement in crossed fields prolongs the electron lifetime over and above that in

crossed fields, enhancing the ionizing efficiency near the cathode. A denser plasma

and larger discharge current result.


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Radial Electric Potential around an Isolated

Positive Ion

Tk

rqV

ieBenrn

)(

)(

0 Vnn ie ))(

1()(

)(

Tk

rqVnenrn

B

i

Tk

rqV

ieB

Tk

rVqnnnq

dr

rdVr

dr

d

r Bo

i

o

ei

)()()]([1 22

2

equationPoisson

)exp()(D

r

r

qrV

2qn

Tk

i

BoD


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Debye Length

Outside of a sphere of radius Dthere is effectively no interaction between the ion

and the rest of the plasma.

In the case of an inserted electrode, Dis a measure of the plasma sheath dimension.

)exp()(D

r

r

qrV

2qn

TklengthDebye

i

BoD

eVTkcmn

B

i

210

310

cmD

2101

Debye length is a measure of the size of the mobile electron cloud required to

reduce V to 0.37 (i.e., 1/e) of its initial value.


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Electron Plasma Frequency

http://farside.ph.utexas.edu/teaching/plasma/lectures/node6.html http://www.irf.se/~ionogram/ionogram/javascaling/PlasmaFreqForBeg.html

When charged particles are separated by a short distancexthe polarization,

P= qnx, where n =n+= n is the number density of the particles.

http://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/users/jelley/ESupdates05.ppt

The restoring electric field Eis given by P/oso

Electronplasma frequencywp, given by wp2= ne2/me o

o

nqkkxF

2

o

xnqqE

dt

xd

2

2

2

m

qnxP

om

nq

m

k

2


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Electron Plasma Frequency

Hznm

nqe

oe

ee

32

1098.8

Consider that an external electric field is suddenly turned on, displacing plasma

electrons over some length.

If it is just suddenly turned off, the electron displacement induces a field that pulls

the electrons back to their original position.

But the inertia of the electrons will cause them to overshoot the mark and

harmonically oscillate about the equilibrium site.

2qn

Tk

i

BoD

e

e

B

i

Bo

oe

eDe

m

Tk

qn

Tk

m

nqv

2

2

The product of Dand eis essentially equal to the electron velocity.

If the frequency is less than ethe dielectric constant is high and the plasma appears

opaque to such radiation.

On the other hand the plasma becomes transparent to radiation at frequencies greater

than ewhere the dielectric constant drops.

,109,10 8310

HzcmnFor ee a frequency much larger than that typically used in

AC (RF) plasmas.


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Plasma Criteria

1. System dimension >> Debye length D >> D Only in this way the quasineutrality of the bulk of the plasma be ensured.

2. Shielding electrons drawn into the Debye sphere >> 1 (at least) ND= 4D

3ne/3

3. Electrons should interact more strongly with each other than with the

neutral gas. Under this conditions, particle motion in the plasma will be controlled by

electromagnetic forces rather than by gas fluid dynamics.

eVTk

cmnn

B

ei

2

10 310

cm

D

2101 2qn

Tk

i

BoD

43

104~3

4

eDD

nN


44/50

AC Effects in Plasmas

tqdt

xdm oe sin2

2

E

2e

oo

mqx E Maximum electron displacement amplitude

Assuming no collisions of electrons with neutrals,

2

2

2

)()(

2

1

e

oooo

m

qxqE

EE Ionization energy

eVE Aro 7.15)(,

)1056.132(56.13 6HzMHzf cmVo /5.11

EField Strength required to ionize gas.

Eo= 11.5 V/cm is an easily attainable field in typical plasma reactors.

No power is absorbed in the collisionless harmonic motion of electrons, however.

For electrons undergo inelastic collisions,

Electron motion is randomized and power is effectively absorbed from the RF source.Even smaller values of Eo can produce ionization if, after electron-gas collisions, the

reversal in electron velocity coincides with the changing electric-field direction.

Through such effects RF discharges are more efficient than their DC counterparts in

promoting ionization.


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Electrodeless Reactors

Inductive coupling

Capacitive coupling

However, for the deposition of films by RF sputtering, internal cathode targets are

required.


46/50

Electrode Sheaths

Cathode Sheath Anode Sheath

Tk

VVq

n

n

B

fp

e

e )(

exp*


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Electrode Sheaths

Both anode and cathode surfaces will be at a negative floating potential (Vf) relative to

the plasma potential (Vp)

Lower electron density in the sheath means less ionization and excitation of neutrals.Less luminosity there.

Large electric fields are restricted to the sheath regions.

It is at the sheath-plasma interface that ions begin to accelerate on their way to the target

during sputtering.

The plasma is typically some ~ 15 volts positive with respect to the anode.

Tk

VVq

n

n

B

fp

e

e )(

exp*


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Electrode Sheaths

Tk

VVq

n

n

B

fp

e

e )(

exp*

The number of electrons (ne*) that can gain enough energy to surmount this barrier is

given by

Considering the electrical flux balance between electrons and ions near the cathode, itgives

i

e

e

e

m

m

n

n 3.2*

(Derivation detail not given.)

eVgem

m

q

TkVV

e

ieBfp 10~.,.)

3.2ln(

2


49/50

Ion Motion in Sheath

Free fall, collisionless manner

Mobility limited, repeated collision

2/3

2

2

9

4V

m

q

d

Ej

s

o Free fall or space charge limited

2

38

9V

dj

s

o

EMobility limited

thicknesssheathd

thicknesssheathaacrossappliedvoltageV

s:

:

It turn out that free fall model, also known as the Child-Langmuir equation, better

describes the measured cathode-current characteristics.

This is certainly true at low pressures where few collisions are likely.

Sh h D k S Thi k


50/50

Sheath Dark Space Thickness

The sheath dark space is sometimes visible with the unaided eye and is therefore

considerably larger than calculated Debye lengths of 100 m.This means that a large planar surface behaves differently from a point charge when both

are immersed in plasmas.

Instead of electrons shielding a point charge, bipolar diffusion of both electrons and ions

is required to shield an electrode, and this physically broadens the sheath dimensions.

D

a

eB

fp

sTk

VVqd

]

)([~

)(4

3

)(3

2

pressureslowerapressureshigher

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Discharge Plasma and Ion -Surface Interactions