LASER-INDUCED FLUORESCENCE CHARACTERIZATION OF IONS IN A MAGNETRON PLASMA

We report for the first time laser-induced fluorescence measurements of a sputtering magnetron plasma. From these measurements we determined the density, average velocity, and temperature of the ions. The ion density profile is peaked at the same location as the electron density profile, which was measured with a Langmuir probe. The average ion velocity parallel to the cathode surface is less than our detection limit of 93 m/s. The ions at the edge of the discharge are room temperature, while in the center of the discharge they reach a temperature of 0.64 eV. These temperatures are attributed to acceleration of the ions by the electric field in the plasma, together with collisional scattering. © 1990, American Vacuum Society. All rights reserved.