Multi-functional ECR plasma sputtering system for preparing amorphous carbon and Al–O–Si films

A design of cylindrical double-target source with shutter slider which can continuously change the target area ratio was applied to the divergent and mirror-confinement Electron Cyclotron Resonance (ECR) plasma sputtering system in the present study. The deposition process feasibility of several types of films (single-layer of pure and composite film as well as multi-layer film) can be realized by using this multi-functional system. The highly concerned amorphous carbon films were prepared with the Divergent ECR (DECR) and Mirror-Confinement ECR (MCECR) plasma sputtering systems. The tribological properties were compared, which both showed a normally friction coefficient around 0.15. Through adding substrate heating during film preparation, the tribological properties of DECR carbon films were improved with an obvious decreasing of friction coefficient to 0.05 and a much longer wear lifetime. The designed double-target source with shutter slider was used to prepare Al–O–Si films, by which the target area ratio of silicon to aluminum was changed from 0.5 to 2. A composite structure of Al–O–Si film with high transmittance up to 89% at 193 nm wavelength was obtained with the multi-functional ECR plasma sputtering system.