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中国物理学会期刊

双极高功率脉冲磁控溅射阳极电双层的基本特征及其对离子能量的影响

Basic Characteristics of the Double Layer and Ion Energy in Bipolar pulse HiPIMS

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  • 双极高功率脉冲磁控溅射(Bipolar pulsed HiPIMS, BP-HiPIMS)正脉冲期间形成的阳极电双层(Double layer, DL)是离子加速的重要结构。目前,电双层的形成特征及其对离子能量的调控机制尚不清晰。针对此,本文采用自主研制的高时空分辨发射探针,结合质谱仪,系统诊断了铜靶BP-HiPIMS放电中等离子体电位(Vp)的时空演变及离子能量分布特征,分析了放电参数对电双层电位特征及离子能量的影响。结果表明,正脉冲开启后,靶前区域经历了鞘层结构重建到动态维持的过程。结合电位测量结果和放电过程图像,电双层边界稳定在磁零点附近,形成约20 V的电位梯度。放电参数会影响电双层形成过程:更高的正脉冲电压有利于电双层的形成并增加其边界电位降,进而提高高能离子占比;延长负脉冲宽度虽然可以增加电离能较低的金属靶原子占比,缩短电双层建立的时间,但同时会导致大量离子在负脉冲期间到达基体位置,压缩离子在正脉冲下的有效加速时间,减少高能离子占比。这些结果揭示了电双层演变与粒子增能的物理机制,为调控高能离子通量、沉积先进薄膜提供了实验和理论基础。

    The precise regulation of deposition ion energy is a critical frontier in low-temperature plasma physics and surface modification. Bipolar pulse high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (BP-HiPIMS) has emerged as a promising technology that achieves the acceleration of high-density ion fluxes via a reversed positive pulse. However, the basic characteristics and formation process of the double layer (DL) during the positive pulse and its effects on the energy of deposition ions remain incompletely understood. This study aims to systematically investigate the spatial distribution and temporal evolution of the DL and elucidate the underlying correlations between discharge parameters and ion acceleration mechanisms. A home-built emissive probe system (APD-EP3A) and an energy-resolved mass spectrometer (Hiden PSM003) were synchronously employed to diagnose the BP-HiPIMS discharge with a Cu target. The emissive probe, operating in the saturated electron emission regime, provided a high spatial resolution of ~1 mm and a temporal resolution of ~200 ns to capture the transient plasma potential (Vp) evolution from the near-target region (z<25 mm) to the bulk plasma (z=25~80 mm). Specifically, the evolutionary trajectories of the DL structure and the time-averaged ion energy distribution functions (IEDFs) were comprehensively evaluated under varying positive pulse voltages (U+=+150 V and U+=+250 V) and negative pulse widths (τ-=25~200 µs). The spatiotemporal potential mapping reveals that upon the onset of the positive pulse, the near-target plasma undergoes a dynamic physical reconstruction from a quasi-neutral state to a DL structure. Notably, the physical boundary between the high- and low-potential regions appears near the magnetic null point (z=20~25 mm). This spatial anchoring effect exhibits strong physical robustness governed by the cross-field transport resistance of the magnetic mirror topology. Furthermore, the structural reconstruction of the DL generates a steep local spatial potential drop of ~20 V, serving as the primary axial acceleration source for traversing ions. Varying the discharge parameters demonstrates distinct regulatory mechanisms on the DL and ion energy. Elevating the positive voltage (U+) not only directly increases the spatial potential drop of the DL boundary but also establishes a clear quantitative correspondence with the high-energy shift of the ion peak in IEDFs. Simultaneously, a higher U+ shortens the DL formation time, effectively extending the acceleration time window and thereby increasing the overall proportion of high-energy ions. Conversely, prolonging the negative pulse width (τ-) intensifies the gas rarefaction effect, rendering low-ionization-energy metal atoms the dominant species upon the onset of the positive pulse. While this compositional evolution significantly accelerates the DL formation process, a longer τ- simultaneously allows a massive flux of unaccelerated initial ions to diffuse to the substrate. This dramatically expands the absolute base of low-energy ions, ultimately leading to a monotonic decrease in the relative proportion of high-energy ions. This study provides direct spatial measurement evidence for the highly transient DL structure and physically elucidates the logical chain from microscopic electric field reconstruction to macroscopic ion kinetic energy gain, offering a theoretical foundation for tailoring energetic ion fluxes to deposit superior-performance advanced thin films.

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