Effect of Pressure on the Film Deposition during RF Magnetron Sputtering Considering Charged Nanoparticles

Non-classical crystallization, in which charged nanoparticles (NPs) are the building blocks of film growth, has been extensively studied in chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Recently, a similar mechanism of film growth has been reported during radio frequency (RF) sputtering with a Ti target and DC magnetron sputtering using an Ag target. In this study, the effect of pressure on the generation of Ti NPs and on the film deposition was studied during RF sputtering with a Ti target. Ti NPs were captured on transmission electron microscopy (TEM) membranes with the electric biases of -30, 0, and +50 V under 20 and 80 mTorr. The number densities of the Ti NPs were 134, 103, and 21 per 100 x 100 nm(2), respectively, with the biases of -30, 0, and +50 V under 20 mTorr and were 196, 98, and 0 per 100 x 100 nm(2), respectively, with the biases of -30, 0, and +50 V under 80 mTorr, which was analyzed by TEM. The growth rate of Ti films deposited on Si substrates was insensitive to the substrate bias under 20 mTorr but was sensitive under 80 mTorr, with the thicknesses of 132, 133, 97, and 29 nm, respectively, after being deposited for 15 min with the substrate biases of -30, -10, 0, and +50 V. This sensitive dependence of the film growth rate on the substrate bias under 80 mTorr is in agreement with the sensitive dependence of the number density of Ti NPs on the substrate bias under 80 mTorr.

Automated summary

Non-classical crystallization involving charged nanoparticles as building blocks for film growth has been extensively studied in chemical vapor deposition. Recent studies have shown similar mechanisms in radio frequency and DC magnetron sputtering processes. This study focused on the impact of pressure on Ti nanoparticle generation and film deposition during radio frequency sputtering. The results indicated that the number density of Ti nanoparticles and the growth rate of Ti films are sensitive to substrate bias and pressure conditions.