Numerical predictions and experimental measurement of Ar-excited stated 4p population in a magnetron plasma
Abstract
The composition and quality of plasma sputtered thin films depends on the properties of the plasma. To investigate these phenomena, theoretical and experimental techniques have been used to characterize the plasma. Langmuir probe has been used to investigate the plasma's electron temperature, ion density and the electron energy distribution function for a wide range of pressures. The electron distribution function and electron density are then used as input for a zero-dimensional Collisional-Radiative model to predict argon's excited state 4p population density. The pressure was varied from 5 m Torr to 1 Torr at 150 W input power and 20 sccm argon flow. The dependence of the electron temperature, ion density, and electron energy distribution on the pressure is attributed to kinetic collision processes, and the 4p excited state population increases with increasing pressure. The results are in agreement with available literature. © 2009 American Institute of Physics.
Publication Title
AIP Conference Proceedings
Recommended Citation
Mensah, S., & Gordon, M. (2009). Numerical predictions and experimental measurement of Ar-excited stated 4p population in a magnetron plasma. AIP Conference Proceedings, 1140, 127-136. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3183514
