PLASMA AND DEPOSITION ENHANCEMENT BY MODIFIED ARC EVAPORATION SOURCE

The purpose of this paper is to present the "enhanced arc system" based on a modified straight plasma optics system. The magnetic field strength and orientation in the apparatus together result in an enhancement of plasma ionization, energy and density and near elimination of macroparticles. Ionization and energy characteristics of the flux impinging TiN films are described as functions of magnetic field strength. Langmuir probe measurements of voltage and current were made using a planar shielded substrate as the probe. Plasma species were observed using emission spectrometry. The ionized fraction of the titanium vapor at the substrate was determined by comparing the deposition rate while excluding ions with the deposition rate under normal conditions. Deposited TiN films were analyzed by profilometry and scanning electron microscopy. The results were an increase in the density of ionized and excited species, especially molecular and atomic nitrogen, with increasing magnetic field strength, which corresponds to an increase in the electron temperature; the average charge carried by nitrogen and titanium ions was approximately 2.1 e; 100% of the titanium vapor producing TiN films was ionized and the deposited films were nearly free of macroparticles.