Magnetron Sputter Deposition (MSD)

Layer fabrication

• plasma generation by impact ionization
• static magnetic field to increase the plasma density
• sputtering of the target by impact processes between sputter gas ions and target atoms
• condensation of the sputtered particles on the substrate surface

Process conditions

• vacuum: p ~ 2 x 10^-8 mbar
• Ar sputter gas pressure: p > 7 x 10^-4 mbar
• magnetron operation: DC, RF for reactive processes
• number of sputtering sources: 4
• discharge power: > 1 kW
• target size: 304,8 mm x 88,9 mm (12'' x 3,5'')
• substrate size: load-lock up to a diameter of 200 mm, larger substrates of up to 500 mm have to be operated by hand through the chamber door
• target-substrate distance: 50 ... 100 mm

Advantages of the MSD procedure

• high coating rates
• very stable, simple and reproducible process operation
• excellent film homogeneity
• simple scalability to larger geometries

Applications

• EUV reflection layer (Mo/Si)
• X-ray optical multilayer systems (W/Si, W/B₄C, Mo/B₄C, ...)
• XUV reflection layers (Cr/Sc, Sc/Si, Mo/Si, ...)
• monochromators for X-ray fluorescence analysis (W/Si, W/B₄C, Mo/Si, Mo/B₄C, Cr/Sc, Cr/C, ...)
• metallic coatings for reflections (Al, Ag, ...)
• dielectic multilayer systems (SiO₂/Al₂O₃, SiO₂/TiO₂, ...)
• layer thickness standards (Ru, Cu, Al, Ti, Cr, Si, C, B₄C, Sc, Ag, ...)