IUVSTA 15th International Vacuum Congress (IVC-15), AVS 48th International Symposium (AVS-48), 11th International Conference on Solid Surfaces (ICSS-11)
    Thin Films Thursday Sessions
       Session TF-ThA

Paper TF-ThA6
Low Temperature Hollow Cathode Sputter Deposition of Al@sub 2@O@sub 3@ Thin Films

Thursday, November 1, 2001, 3:40 pm, Room 123

Session: Emerging Thin Film Techniques
Presenter: A. Pradhan, University of Delaware
Authors: A. Pradhan, University of Delaware
S.I. Shah, University of Delaware
K.M. Unruh, University of Delaware
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Hollow cathode sputtering offers a novel way of conformally coating three-dimensional objects. It offers the added advantages of uniform sputtered flux and high plasma density. We have characterized a Hollow Cathode Source (HCS) for depositing alumina thin films by reactive sputtering. The target potential decreased sharply in the poison mode. This is contrary to what is observed in most reactive sputtering systems. This was attributed to the large secondary electron emission coefficient for Al@sub 2@O@sub 3@. The hysteresis behavior of planar sputtering was not observed. High growth rates at low power densities were obtained even in the poison mode. This was probably due to the enclosed geometry of the hollow cathode and very high cathode to anode area ratio. The oxidation state of the film was determined using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). The alumina content of the films increased sharply with the addition of oxygen to the system. Above a certain oxygen concentration pure Al@sub 2@O@sub 3@ films were obtained. A low cost high deposition rate method for depositing crystalline alumina films will be presented.