Abstract

Abstract This paper describes the reactive deposition of TiN films using a modified magnetron sputtering system called triode magnetron sputtering. The introduction of a grounded grid in front of a conventional magnetron sputterer results in a stable glow discharge, suitable for reactive film deposition. In our home-made magnetron sputtering system, using the conventional configuration, the lowest pressure that maintains the discharge is 0.60 Pa (4.5 mtorr), while in the triode configuration the pressure of the discharge can be as low as 0.27 Pa (2 mtorr), resulting in denser and smoother films. In addition, for the same voltage applied to the target, identical currents are measured for a pressure of 0.27 Pa (2 mtorr) in the triode configuration and 0.67 Pa (5 mtorr) in the conventioanl one. However, certainly the most important effect of this modified configuration is the absence of the well-known hysteresis loop. In the triode configuration, the discharge remains stable upon increasing the nitrogen flow to more than twice the argon flow, even when poisoning of the target occurs. No hysteresis loop is observed upon decreasing the nitrogen flow after poisoning of the target. Thus, triode magnetron sputtering is a much more suitable approach for the deposition of films in the reactive mode than conventional magnetron sputtering.

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