The document discusses the thin film deposition techniques, focusing on magnetron sputtering, which is a type of physical vapor deposition (PVD). It highlights the importance of thin films in various applications such as microelectronics and protective coatings, and explains the mechanisms and advantages of using magnetrons to enhance ionization efficiency. The document also covers the principles of sputtering, including the processes involved in creating and depositing thin films.

1. Kutluhan Utku TÜMEN
2019 / 2020
MAGNETRON SPUTTERING

2. - Thin Film
- Synthesis of Thin Films
- Plasma
- Physical Vapor Deposition
- Sputtering Method
- Magnetron Sputtering
Content
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3. Thin Film
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• A thin film is a layer of material ranging from fractions of a nanometer (monolayer) to several micrometers in
thickness.
•The act of applying a thin film to a surface is thin-film deposition – any technique for depositing a thin film of material
onto a substrate.
•It is useful in the manufacture of optics, electronics (layers of insulators, semiconductors, and conductors form
integrated circuits), packaging (i.e., aluminium-coated PET film).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thin_film / https://www.avantes.com/solutions/thin-film 7 https://www.susumu.co.jp/germany/tech/know_how_02.php

4. Synthesis of Thin Films
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https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Classification-of-thin-film-deposition-methods_fig3_320849346

5. Plasma
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• States of Matter
- Solid
- Liquid
- Gas
- Plasma
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/themis/auroras/sun_earth_connect.html

6. Physical Vapor Deposition
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_vapor_deposition
• Deposition of a material in the vapor phase onto a solid in a vacuum.
• The coating method involves purely physical processes such as high-
temperature vacuum evaporation with subsequent condensation, or plasma.
• Evaporated atoms travel through the evacuated space between the source
and the sample and stick to the sample.
• Usually no chemical reactions take place.
• Carried out in a vacuum atmosphere.
• Used for thin and uniform coating or films.

7. Sputtering Method
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• Sputter deposition is a physical vapor deposition (PVD) method of thin film deposition by sputtering.
This involves ejecting material from a "target" that is a source onto a "substrate" such as a silicon wafer.
• First discovered in 1852, and developed as a thin film deposition technique by Langmuir in 1920.
• Metallic films: Al-alloys, Ti, Tantalum, Nickel, Cobalt, Gold, etc.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/chemical-engineering/reactive-sputtering
• Requirements: Vacuum, Inert gas, Power supply, Sputtering gas

8. Sputtering Method
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• Ionize an Ar; or ionize an impurity atom, for example O, to generate O- (for Ar, always positive ion Ar+ )
• Ions are generated and directed at a target.
• The ions sputter targets atoms.
• The ejected atoms are transported to the substrate.
• Atoms condense and form a thin film.
https://www.slideshare.net/HotLookingCoolGuy/sputtering-process

9. Sputtering Method
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https://www.slideshare.net/SandeepNair41/sputtering-60950269
Sputtered atoms have velocities of 3-6 E5 cm/sec and energy of 10-40 eV.

10. Sputtering Yield
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https://www.slideshare.net/SandeepNair41/sputtering-60950269
Mass & Size of Atoms
Molecule size – need to be about the same
size as the sputtered material
Energy of the Bombarding Ions
Ion energy Vs. sputter yield:
Direction
In oblique angle (45º-90º) there is
higher probability for sputtering, which
occur closer to the surface.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sputter_deposition
Sputtering Method
Applications
• Thin film deposition:
- Microelectronics
- Decorative coating
- Protective coating
• Etching of targets:
- Microelectronics patterning
- CMOS, NMOS, PMOS fabrication
• Surface treatment:
- Hardening
Types of the Sputtering Deposition
1. DC Diode Sputtering
2. Magnetron Sputtering
3. RF Sputtering
4. Reactive Gas Sputtering
5. Ion Beam Sputtering
6. Pulse DC/AC Sputtering

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https://www.physlab.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Murtaza_presentaion.pdf
Magnetron Sputtering
• Here magnets are used to increase the percentage of electrons that take part in ionization events,
increase probability of electrons striking Ar, increase electron path length, so the ionization efficiency is
increased significantly.
• Another reasons to use magnets:
– Lower voltage needed to strike plasma.
– Controls uniformity.
– Reduce wafer heating from electron bombardment.
– Increased deposition rate
– Good control over reactive sputtering

13. Magnetron Sputtering
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https://www.dentonvacuum.com/products-technologies/magnetron-sputtering/
• Magnetron sputtering is a highly versatile thin film deposition technique for coating films with excellent
adhesion and high density.
• A type of physical vapor deposition (PVD) coating technology, magnetron sputtering is a plasma-based
coating process where a magnetically confined plasma is created near the surface of a target material.
• Positively charged energetic ions from the plasma collide with the negatively charged target material,
and atoms from the target are ejected or “sputtered”, which then deposit on a substrate.
(strong electric and magnetic fields)

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Magnetron Sputtering
https://farotex.com/technology.html

15. Magnetron Sputtering
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The magnetron device has a dipole magnetic
configuration to trap the electrons emitted at
the cathode. In this way the excitation and
ionization rates are enhanced, allowing the
operation of the discharge at low pressures,
below 10-2 mbar. To create this dipole
configuration, usually three rows of permanent
magnets are arranged in the following order, N-
S-N or S-N-S, that is, the inner row must have
an opposite polarization in relation to the
outer rows. On the balanced magnetrons, the
magnets have the same strength. On the
unbalanced magnetron the inner magnet is
weakened. In this way, more electrons are lost
to the plasma, resulting in an increase of the
plasma length, towards the substrate. In this
way, the substrate current increases
dramatically, as well as the coating quality.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixx3ISj_kpg

17. THANK YOU
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