Characterization of Tungsten Sputtering Processes in a Capacitively Coupled Argon Plasma

A capacitively coupled radio-frequency argon plasma, used for tungsten sputtering deposition, is characterized using Langmuir probe measurements. Druyvesteyn’s method is used to evaluate plasma parameters through the integral of the Electron Energy Distribution Function (EEDF). In the pressure range...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Espedito Vassallo, Miriam Saleh, Matteo Pedroni, Anna Cremona, Dario Ripamonti
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Plasma
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6182/8/1/8
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Summary:A capacitively coupled radio-frequency argon plasma, used for tungsten sputtering deposition, is characterized using Langmuir probe measurements. Druyvesteyn’s method is used to evaluate plasma parameters through the integral of the Electron Energy Distribution Function (EEDF). In the pressure range analyzed (0.6–10 Pa), the obtained distributions are not Maxwellian, which suggests some depletion of electrons with higher energies. The obtained plasma parameters are compared with those derived from the graphical method. The electron temperature obtained via the graphical method is always lower than the effective temperatures derived from EEDFs, and vice versa, the electron density is overestimated by the graphical method. Optical Emission Spectroscopy is used to monitor the atoms sputtered in the plasma process. The behavior of excited species correlates with the plasma parameters.
ISSN:2571-6182