Characterization of helicon wave plasma designed for direct current sputtering

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Abstract
The rf plasma produced in a helicon wave frequency range was studied using helical antennas and its application to dc sputtering at low Ar pressures was reported. A dense plasma of the order of 1012–1013 cm−3 could be obtained at a pressure around 0.1 Pa by using the antennas with azimuthal mode number of m=±1 or m=0. The measurement of the axial magnetic component Bz of the rf field in the plasma showed evidence of the excitation of helicon wave. A sputtering apparatus has been developed by means of the helicon wave plasma excited with a m=0 mode two-turn antenna. It was found that the characteristics of the rf plasma enhanced sputtering discharge were dominated by the properties of the rf plasma sustained at pressures as low as 3×10−2 Pa. A target current as high as 2 A at a pressure of 0.4 Pa was achieved, and sputtering of the Al target indicated that a deposition rate of 1 μm/min could be obtained under this condition.

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