On the ion and neutral atom bombardment of the growth surface in magnetron plasma sputter deposition

The energy distribution of positive argon ions bombarding the substrate during radiofrequency magnetron sputter deposition has been measured as a function of the argon pressure. The results are related to measurements of the plasma potential distribution and understood invoking the occurrence of resonant charge transfer reactions. This effectively lowers the ion bombardment energy and causes the bombardment of the growth surface with neutrals of a few eV kinetic energy in the pressure range of 0.1-1 Pa. (C) 2007 American Institute of Physics.