High-speed low-temperature film preparation by an ionized cluster beam, assisted by an ionized gas beam

Abstract

Oxide and nitride films have been prepared by the dual ion beam (DIB) deposition technique which consists of an ionized cluster beam (ICB) and ionized gas beam (IGB). As source of the ICB, vaporized metals are ejected through the multinozzle of a crucible into a high vacuum chamber and are cooled and clustered by adiabatic expansion. The clusters are partially ionized in an electron shower and accelerated to the substrate. On the other hand, as source of the IGB, gas molecules are partially ionized, excited and decomposed in an electron shower and accelerated to the substrate. These two beams collide and combine together on their way to the substrate. The characteristics of the ion current density and the properties of silicon oxide and titanium nitride films are investigated. It is found that the DIB technique has a great advantage in preparing various oxide and nitride films at low temperature with a high deposition rate over a large substrate. Therefore, the chemical reaction is enhanced by the existence of the ionized and excited gas and the migration of the ionized cluster on the substrate.