Electron cyclotron resonance plasma source for conductive film deposition

Abstract

We have developed an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma source for conductive film deposition. In this source, 2.45 GHz microwaves are divided into two directions by an E-plane divider and pass through a quartz window into the composer, where the microwave electric field is parallel to the external magnetic field. The quartz windows are set in the blind space from the ECR plasma and in a region of higher magnetic field than that of the ECR condition (875 G). The composed microwaves are transported from the higher magnetic field region to the ECR magnetic field region in the plasma source. Highly ionized plasma of over 10 mA/cm2 has been generated by preventing plasma generation in the composer. A good uniformity of ±5% over a 6 in. diameter has been obtained. TiN films and Al films have been deposited with high reliability over an extended operation time.