Kiel 2011 – scientific programme

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P: Fachverband Plasmaphysik

P 17: Poster: Plasmatechnologie

P 17.10: Poster

Wednesday, March 30, 2011, 16:30–18:30, Foyer

Stability of cluster formation in a DC magnetron sputtering source — •Marina Ganeva and Rainer Hippler — Institute of Physics, University Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 6, 17487 Greifswald, Germany

Magnetron based setups are widely used as a source of nanoparticles. At the same time different researchers have mentioned that the reliability of such kind of sources is a somewhat problematic. We have analyzed the different reasons of such instabilities and found a way to make reproducible measurements.

As a nanocluster source the NC-200 from Oxford Applied Research with Cu targets was used. The cluster size distribution was measured with a QMF200 quadrupole mass-filter. The average cluster mass and maximal cluster current were taken for further analysis. These characteristics were measured under the same experimental conditions at different target sputtering profiles. The result shows a clear dependency of the considered average cluster mass and maximal cluster current on the target operation time multiplied by the discharge power.

Theoretical analysis shows that the target profile strongly influences the sputtering yield and, consequently, the density of sputtered atoms. Once a certain point was reached this influence significantly affects the cluster size distribution and the amount of produced clusters.