PLANAR MAGNETRON GLOW-DISCHARGE ON COPPER - EMPIRICAL AND SEMIEMPIRICAL RELATIONS

Empirical and semiempirical relations linking parameters in magnetron-assisted abnormal glow discharges can provide insight into the physical phenomena occurring and lead to better control of processes utilizing such discharges. The deposition rate dependence upon pressure (at constant power) for planar magnetron sputtering of copper in argon has been studied. The results fit the empirical equation, R = K(R)e(-beta(p)), where R is the deposition rate (nm/s), and p is the pressure (Pa). K(R) increases linearly with the input power (K(R) = a + b w); the constants a and b were found to be 0.5 nm/s and 6.9 x 10(-3) nm/(S W), respectively. The parameter beta decreases with power. From this empirical equation and some physical considerations, near-cathode gas temperature and mean-free path of sputtered atoms for a given pressure, as a function of power, were obtained.