AVS 45th International Symposium
    Thin Films Division Wednesday Sessions
       Session TF-WeA

Paper TF-WeA4
Reactor-Scale Models for Rf-Diode Sputtering for GMR Thin-Film Growth

Wednesday, November 4, 1998, 3:00 pm, Room 310

Session: Advances in Sputtering
Presenter: S. Desa, SC Solutions
Authors: S. Desa, SC Solutions
S. Ghosal, SC Solutions
R.L. Kosut, SC Solutions
J.L. Ebert, SC Solutions
A. Kozak, SC Solutions
T.E. Abrahamson, SC Solutions
J.F. Groves, University of Virginia
H.N.G. Wadley, University of Virginia
D.W. Zou, University of Virginia
Correspondent: Click to Email
This paper describes the development of a physical model for the Rf-diode sputtering of GMR thin-films. The model consists of: (1) a CFD finite element model for the velocity and pressure distribution of the Argon (Ar) gas flow in the chamber, (2) a steady-state plasma model for the flux and energy of Ar ions striking the target and the substrate, (3) a molecular dynamics (MD) sputtering model for the energy distribution, angle distribution, and yield of the Copper (Cu) atoms sputtered from the target by the Ar ions, and (4) a Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) model for the transport of Cu atoms through the low-pressure argon gas to the deposition substrate. The individual models for gas flow, plasma discharge, Cu sputtering, and DSMC-based Cu atom transport are then integrated to create a detailed, steady-state, input-output model capable of predicting thin-film deposition-rate and uniformity as a function of the process input variables: power, pressure, gas temperature and electrode spacing. (Deposition and uniformity in turn define well-known device characteristics such as H@sub sat@ and GMR ratio.) The paper also describes the development of an approximate input-output model whose CPU time is several orders-of-magnitude faster than that of the detailed model. Both models were refined and validated against experimental data obtained from an actual GMR chamber.