Electron cyclotron resonance plasma ion source for material depositions

An electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma has been used in conjunction with solid metal targets for deposition of various metal and oxide compounds. A large microwave system provides dense and high-quality films at low gas pressures with a plasma generation independent on the sputtering process. The 2.45 GHz microwave power is introduced in the reactor via two separate rectangular waveguides and the plasma cross section is 20X5 cm(2) in area. High plasma densities over 4X10(11) cm(-3) were measured by interferometry. An iron deposition rate of 2000 Angstrom/mn has been achieved. Transparent aluminum oxide Al2O3 films with a refractive index of 1.57 were obtained under a deposition rate of 150 Angstrom/mn. The association of several rectangular plasma chambers similar to the elementary plasma source used in this work is discussed. Direct metal ion production was also investigated in such a waveguide plasma source. Metal vaporization and ionization have been provided by energetic electrons from the ECR surface. Thus, a Zn+ ion current density of 30 mA/cm(2) has been reached without support gas. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics. [S0034-6748(98)05506-3].