AVS 47th International Symposium
    Plasma Science and Technology Monday Sessions
       Session PS1-MoA

Paper PS1-MoA5
Large Area Plasma Processing System Based on Electron Beam Ionization

Monday, October 2, 2000, 3:20 pm, Room 310

Session: Emerging Plasma Applications
Presenter: D. Leonhardt, Naval Research Laboratory
Authors: D. Leonhardt, Naval Research Laboratory
S.G. Walton, Naval Research Laboratory
D.D. Blackwell, Naval Research Laboratory
W.E. Amatucci, Naval Research Laboratory
D.P. Murphy, Naval Research Laboratory
R.F. Fernsler, Naval Research Laboratory
R.A. Meger, Naval Research Laboratory
Correspondent: Click to Email
Electron beam ionization is both efficient at producing plasma and scalable to large area (square meters). The beam ionization process is also fairly independent gas composition, capable of producing low temperature plasma electrons in high densities. A 'Large Area Plasma Processing System' has been developed based on the beam ionization process, with the goal of modifying the surface properties of materials over large areas. The system consists of a planar plasma distribution generated by a magnetically collimated sheet of 2-5kV, ~ 10 mA/cm@super 2@ electrons injected into a neutral gas background (oxygen, nitrogen, argon, neon). Typical operating pressures range from 20-200 mtorr with beam-collimating magnetic fields strengths of 100-300 Gauss. Thus far, electron beams have been produced using pulsed (10-4000 ms pulse length, >50% duty cycle) and dc hollow cathode discharges in dielectric as well as conducting chambers. Temporally resolved plasma characteristics deduced from Langmuir probes, optical emission spectroscopy and microwave transmission measurements will be presented. Over large areas (2 cm x 60 cm x 60 cm), results show low electron temperature (T@sub e@ ~ 0.6 and 1.5 eV in molecular and noble gases, respectively) in a bulk diffusion-dominated plasma with densities ranging from 10@super 9@ to 10@super 12@ cm@super -3@. Temporally resolved plasma-to-surface fluxes (via mass spectrometry) and their energy distributions will be presented to give further insight into LAPPS for material processing applications. If time permits, additional photoresist ashing tests demonstrating anisotropic pattern transfer will be discussed, along with design improvements in the electron beam source. Additional details of in situ diagnostics in LAPPS will also be presented by co-authors.@footnote 1@ @FootnoteText@ S.G. Walton, D.D. Blackwell - NRL/NRC Postdoctoral Research Associates @footnote 1@ See other presentations by co-authors at this conference.