Investigation on Plasma Diagnostics and Process Feed-back Control of CrNx Films During Reactive High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering

• Main Authors: Bo-Hung Hsiao, 蕭博鴻
• Other Authors: Chi-Lung Chang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2013
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/85253496717392197228

碩士 === 明道大學 === 材料科學與工程學系碩士班 === 101 === In this study, the Chromium nitride (CrNx) thin films were fabricated by high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS). And the Cr emission intensity spectra were monitored by in-situ optical emission spectroscope (OES). To ensure that the CrN film was deposited in a stable plasma environment, the nitrogen partial pressure and the plasma intensity were monitored by the plasus@ OES internal proportional integral derivative (PID) controller. The gathered spectra were analyzed by its specific chromium and nitrogen specific spectral signatures, in determining the chromium and nitrogen ratios (CrNx). When the PVD chamber was filled with 100% Ar (0 % nitrogen pressure), the resulted Cr spectral intensity was defined as 100 % chromium plasma (CrN0%). And when the PVD chamber was pressurized with nitrogen to yield a 20% residual Cr signal, this Cr intensity was defined as CrN80%. In this study, the thin film deposition conditions were defined by the different CrNx spectral ratios. These ratios include, OES:20%, OES:40%, OES:60%, OES:70%, and OES:80%. By observing the Cr/N spectral change, with reduced nitrogen partial pressure, we observed that the film composition progressed from CrN to a mixture of Cr2N and CrN. Finally, the morphology and microstructure of the films were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), in understanding the relationship between the optimal thin film quality and its corresponding OES spectrum.