Characterization of a hybrid PVD/PACVD system for the deposition of TiC/CaO nanocomposite films by OES and probe measurements

A hybrid PVD/PACVD system, which was used for the deposition of TiC/CaO nanocomposite films from a TiC0.5+10% CaO target, has been characterized by optical emission spectroscopy (OES), electrical probe measurements and deposition experiments. The system consists of a dc magnetron unit to create a flux of species to be deposited, an inductively coupled rf Ar plasma by which these species are excited and ionized to a high degree and a rf substrate bias plasma by means of which the energy of the ions impinging onto the growing film is determined. Optical inspection shows that the plasma is spatially bisected, with a typical argon plasma in the vicinity of the substrate holder, while the vicinity of the target is dominated by excited and ionized species from the target. The spatial extent of both regions depends on the interplay of the deposition parameters, especially the target current (power) and the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) power. The two different plasma states, which are obviously different with respect to both, plasma density and electron temperature, also reflect in the optical emission spectra taken in the vicinity of the target, the currents measured by an electrical probe at the position of the substrate holder, and even the deposition rates obtained with this system.