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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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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author Espedito Vassallo
Miriam Saleh
Matteo Pedroni
Anna Cremona
Dario Ripamonti
author_facet Espedito Vassallo
Miriam Saleh
Matteo Pedroni
Anna Cremona
Dario Ripamonti
author_sort Espedito Vassallo
collection DOAJ
description 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.
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issn 2571-6182
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher MDPI AG
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series Plasma
spelling doaj-art-68f001fdfd1442fa8e503d4d1ec8e5812025-08-20T02:42:29ZengMDPI AGPlasma2571-61822025-02-0181810.3390/plasma8010008Characterization of Tungsten Sputtering Processes in a Capacitively Coupled Argon PlasmaEspedito Vassallo0Miriam Saleh1Matteo Pedroni2Anna Cremona3Dario Ripamonti4Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (ISTP), National Research Council (CNR), Via R. Cozzi 53, 20125 Milan, ItalyInstitute for Plasma Science and Technology (ISTP), National Research Council (CNR), Via R. Cozzi 53, 20125 Milan, ItalyInstitute for Plasma Science and Technology (ISTP), National Research Council (CNR), Via R. Cozzi 53, 20125 Milan, ItalyInstitute for Plasma Science and Technology (ISTP), National Research Council (CNR), Via R. Cozzi 53, 20125 Milan, ItalyInstitute of Condensed Matter Chemistry and Technologies for Energy (ICMATE), National Research Council (CNR), Via R. Cozzi 53, 20125 Milan, ItalyA 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.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6182/8/1/8plasma sputteringLangmuir probecapacitively coupled argon plasma
spellingShingle Espedito Vassallo
Miriam Saleh
Matteo Pedroni
Anna Cremona
Dario Ripamonti
Characterization of Tungsten Sputtering Processes in a Capacitively Coupled Argon Plasma
Plasma
plasma sputtering
Langmuir probe
capacitively coupled argon plasma
title Characterization of Tungsten Sputtering Processes in a Capacitively Coupled Argon Plasma
title_full Characterization of Tungsten Sputtering Processes in a Capacitively Coupled Argon Plasma
title_fullStr Characterization of Tungsten Sputtering Processes in a Capacitively Coupled Argon Plasma
title_full_unstemmed Characterization of Tungsten Sputtering Processes in a Capacitively Coupled Argon Plasma
title_short Characterization of Tungsten Sputtering Processes in a Capacitively Coupled Argon Plasma
title_sort characterization of tungsten sputtering processes in a capacitively coupled argon plasma
topic plasma sputtering
Langmuir probe
capacitively coupled argon plasma
url https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6182/8/1/8
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AT miriamsaleh characterizationoftungstensputteringprocessesinacapacitivelycoupledargonplasma
AT matteopedroni characterizationoftungstensputteringprocessesinacapacitivelycoupledargonplasma
AT annacremona characterizationoftungstensputteringprocessesinacapacitivelycoupledargonplasma
AT darioripamonti characterizationoftungstensputteringprocessesinacapacitivelycoupledargonplasma