Electron cyclotron resonance plasma source for ion assisted deposition of thin films

An electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma source (10 cm in diameter) has been developed for ion assisted sputter deposition of thin films. Variation of plasma parameters like ion density, electron temperature, plasma potential, and floating potential as a function of pressure and microwave power has been studied using Langmuir probe analysis. The ECR source gives an ion density of ${\text{1.01×10}}^{11}/{\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{3}}$ at a distance of 8 cm from the source exit at a pressure of ${\text{8×10}}^{\text{−4}} \mathrm{mbar}$ and 400 W of microwave power. The uniformity of the plasma parameters at the substrate position was found to be ±2% over a diameter of 12 cm. Thin films of copper and silicon nitride have been deposited by rf sputtering in the presence of ECR plasma. The properties showed a significant change at an ECR power of 100 W.