ELECTRON-CYCLOTRON RESONANCE PLASMA-EXPERIMENT FOR INSITU SURFACE MODIFICATION, DEPOSITION, AND ANALYSIS

An electron cyclotron resonance plasma source which allows in situ surface modification and thin film deposition combined with surface analysis by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is presented. This experiment enables well defined surface modification studies to be performed. We discuss the experimental details of this plasma source as well as the main discharge characteristics as a function of gas, pressure, and geometry. Using plasma diagnostics, a Langmuir probe and an ion energy analyzer, the ion density, the electron temperature, and the ion flux were determined. Two examples of applications analyzed by XPS, one for surface modification and one for thin film deposition, confirm the ability to produce well defined and contamination-free surfaces.