High-rate deposition of MgO by reactive ac pulsed magnetron sputtering in the transition mode
- 19 December 2005
- journal article
- Published by American Vacuum Society in Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A
- Vol. 24 (1), 106-113
- https://doi.org/10.1116/1.2138717
Abstract
A reactive ac pulsed dual magnetron sputtering process for MgO thin-film deposition was equipped with a closed-loop control of the oxygen flow rate using the magnesium radiation as input. Owing to this control, most of the unstable part of the partial pressure versus flowrate curve became accessible. The process worked steadily and reproducible without arcing. A dynamic deposition rate of up to could be achieved, which was higher than in the oxide mode by about a factor of 18. Both process characteristics and film properties were investigated in this work in dependence on the oxygen flow, i.e., in dependence on the particular point within the transition region where the process is operated. The films had very low extinction coefficients and refractive indices close to the bulk value. They were nearly stoichiometric with a slight oxygen surplus which was independent of the oxygen flow. X-ray diffraction revealed a prevailing (111) orientation. Provided that appropriate rf plasma etching was performed prior to deposition, no other than the (111) peak could be detected. The intensity of this peak increased with increasing , indicating an even more pronounced (111) texture. The ion-induced secondary electron emission coefficient (iSEEC) was distinctly correlated with the markedness of the (111) preferential orientation. Both refractive index and (111) preferred orientation (which determines the iSEEC) were found to be improved in comparison with the MgO growth in the fully oxide mode. Consequently, working in the transition mode is superior to the oxide mode not only with respect to the growth rate, but also to most important film properties.
Keywords
This publication has 27 references indexed in Scilit:
- Effect of inductively-coupled plasma assist on the crystal orientation of magnesium oxide thin films produced by reactive sputteringThin Solid Films, 2004
- Microstructure and optical properties of MgO films synthesized by closed-field unbalanced magnetron sputtering with additional electron emissionSurface and Coatings Technology, 2003
- Materials with a high secondary-electron yield for use in plasma displaysApplied Physics Letters, 2002
- Formation of Optical Thin Films by Ion and Plasma Assisted TechniquesContributions to Plasma Physics, 2001
- Quantitative modeling of reactive sputtering process for MgO thin film depositionThin Solid Films, 2001
- Influence of Vacuum-Annealing Process on the Secondary Electron Emission Coefficient (γ) from a MgO Protective LayerJapanese Journal of Applied Physics, 2001
- Surface-discharge characteristics of MgO-thin films prepared by reactive RF unbalanced magnetron sputteringThin Solid Films, 2000
- Effects of MgO annealing process in a vacuum on the discharge characteristics of AC PDPMaterials Science and Engineering B, 1999
- Infrared and high-energy electron diffraction analyses of electron-beam-evaporated MgO filmsJournal of Applied Physics, 1977
- A protecting layer for the dielectric in AC plasma panelsIEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, 1976