Sputtering process

Sputtering is used in industry as a means of depositing both metals and insulators. During ion bombardment, energy can be transferred from incoming ions to a surface at an appropriate rate such that atoms are physically removed from the surface. This section starts with an introduction to plasma. Sputter deposited film properties depend on the parameters of the sputtering system, such as pressure and substrate bias. We will discuss the cause and effect of sputtering parameters on deposition processes and their relationship to film properties. The different sputtering systems such as DC, RF and magnetron are also covered.

Sputtering is carried out in a plasma chamber. Plasma is the fourth state of matter. As we increase the heat added to a solid, it will eventually make phase transitions to the liquid state, become gaseous and then finally the bonds binding electrons and ions are broken and the gas becomes electrically conducting plasma. Plasma is a gaseous collection of ions, electrons, energetically excited molecules, and a large number of neutral gas species, normally created by the application of electromagnetic fields. Plasmas can be used to drive reactions that would otherwise be thermally prohibited. Plasmas are used to deposit, chemically etch or sputter materials.