Low-voltage triode sputtering with a confined plasma: Part I—geometric aspects of deposition

Abstract

Low-voltage triode sputtering is a film deposition process capable of high deposition rates (100–600 Å/min) using voltages less than 500 V and Ar pressures of about 1 μ. This paper considers the geometric aspects of low-voltage triode deposition which include: (1) the thickness uniformity over the substrate table; (2) step coverage; and (3) the geometric conditions that give the best thickness uniformity, step coverage, and maximum utilization of target area.