Paper TF-TuP16
An EIES Flux Sensor for Monitoring Deposition Rate at High Background Gas Pressure with Improved Accuracy

Tuesday, October 16, 2007, 6:00 pm, Room 4C

Electron impact emission spectroscopy (EIES) has been proven to be a critical tool for film composition control during co-deposition processes for the fabrication of multi-component thin film materials including the high-efficiency CIGS (copper-indium-gallium-diselenide) photovoltaic cells. This technique is highly specific to atomic species because the emission spectrum of each element is unique, and the typical width of atomic emission lines is very narrow. Non-interfering emission lines can generally be allocated to different atomic species. However, the electron impact emission spectra of many molecular species are often broadband in nature. When the optical emission from an EIES sensor is measured by using a wavelength selection device with a modest resolution, such as an optical filter or monochromator, the emissions from common residual gases may interfere with that from the vapor flux and cause erroneous flux measurement. The interference is most pronounced when measuring low flux density with the presence of gases such as in reactive deposition processes. This problem is solved by using a novel EIES sensor that has two electron impact excitation sources in separate compartments but with one common port for optical output. The vapor flux is allowed to pass through one compartment only. Using a tri-state excitation scheme and appropriate signal processing technique, the interfering signals from residual gases can be completerly eliminated from the output signal of the EIES monitor for process control. Data obtained from Cu and Ga evaporations with the presence of common residual gases such as CO₂ and H₂O are shown to demonstrate the improvement in sensor performance. The new EIES sensor is capable of eliminating the effect of interfering residual gases with pressure as high as in the upper 10^-5 Torr range.