Z. L. Tsakadze

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF TERNARY AL-C-N COMPOUND

An attempt for modification of carbon nitride material by introduction of Al to form a ternary Al-C-N compound in a thin film deposited using inductively coupled plasma (ICP) assisted DC magnetron sputtering is reported. Optical emission spectroscopy (OES) is used for in-situ observation and identification of reactive species. The films were characterized using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and x-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD). The results indicate that C-N bond is formed in the plasma. The XPS narrow scam spectra confirm the existence of C-Al, sp2C-N and sp3C-N bonds. Elemental proportion of carbon increases with the CH4/N2 flow rate ratio, and has a tendency to saturate. The film is dominated by c-AlN (111), mixed with Al4C3 and AlCN ternary compound.

Analysis of photoluminescence background of Raman spectra of carbon nanotips grown by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

Carbon nanotips with different structures were synthesized by plasma-enhanced hot filament chemical vapor deposition and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition using different deposition conditions, and they were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The results indicate that the photoluminescence background of the Raman spectra is different for different carbon nanotips. Additionally, the Raman spectra of the carbon nanotips synthesized using nitrogen-containing gas precursors show a peak located at about 2120 cm−1 besides the common D and G peaks. The observed difference in the photoluminescence background is related to the growth mechanisms, structural properties, and surface morphology of a-C:H and a-C:H:N nanotips, in particular, the sizes of the emissive tips.

Magnetic fields and uniformity of radio frequency power deposition in low-frequency inductively coupled plasmas with crossed internal oscillating currents

Radial and axial distributions of magnetic fields in a low-frequency (∼460 kHz) inductively coupled plasma source with two internal crossed planar rf current sheets are reported. The internal antenna configuration comprises two orthogonal sets of eight alternately reconnected parallel and equidistant copper litz wires in quartz enclosures and generates three magnetic (Hz, Hr, and Hφ) and two electric (Eφ and Er) field components at the fundamental frequency. The measurements have been performed in rarefied and dense plasmas generated in the electrostatic (E) and electromagnetic (H) discharge modes using two miniature magnetic probes. It is shown that the radial uniformity and depth of the rf power deposition can be improved as compared with conventional sources of inductively coupled plasmas with external flat spiral (“pancake”) antennas. Relatively deeper rf power deposition in the plasma source results in more uniform profiles of the optical emission intensity, which indicates on the improvement of the ...

CONTROL AND DIAGNOSTICS OF INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMAS FOR CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION ON NANOCOMPOSITE CARBON NITRIDE-BASED FILMS

Control and diagnostics of low-frequency (~ 500 kHz) inductively coupled plasmas for chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of nano-composite carbon nitride-based films is reported. Relation between the discharge control parameters, plasma electron energy distribution/probability functions (EEDF/EEPF), and elemental composition in the deposited C-N based thin films is investigated. Langmuir probe technique is employed to monitor the plasma density and potential, effective electron temperature, and EEDFs/EEPFs in Ar + N2 + CH4 discharges. It is revealed that varying RF power and gas composition/pressure one can engineer the EEDFs/EEPFs to enhance the desired plasma-chemical gas-phase reactions thus controlling the film chemical structure. Auxiliary diagnostic tools for study of the RF power deposition, plasma composition, stability, and optical emission are discussed as well.

Low-temperature growth of large area vertically aligned carbon nanotubes for field emission applications

Large area, highly uniform vertically aligned carbon nanotips (VACNTP) and other nanostructures have been grown on silicon (100) substrates with Ni catalyst in the low-temperature, lowfrequency, high-density inductively coupled plasmas (ICP) of methane-hydrogen-argon gas mixtures. The control strategies for the morphology, crystalline structure and chemical states of the resulting nanostructures by varying the growth conditions are proposed. XRD and Raman analyses confirm that the nanotips are well graphitized, which is favorable for the field emission applications.

Generation of uniform plasmas by crossed internal oscillating current sheets: Key concepts and experimental verification

The results of comprehensive experimental studies of the operation, stability, and plasma parameters of the low-frequency (0.46 MHz) inductively coupled plasmas sustained by the internal oscillating rf current are reported. The rf plasma is generated by using a custom-designed configuration of the internal rf coil that comprises two perpendicular sets of eight currents in each direction. Various diagnostic tools, such as magnetic probes, optical emission spectroscopy, and an rf-compensated Langmuir probe were used to investigate the electromagnetic, optical, and global properties of the argon plasma in wide ranges of the applied rf power and gas feedstock pressure. It is found that the uniformity of the electromagnetic field inside the plasma reactor is improved as compared to the conventional sources of inductively coupled plasmas with the external flat coil configuration. A reasonable agreement between the experimental data and computed electromagnetic field topography inside the chamber is reported. The Langmuir probe measurements reveal that the spatial profiles of the electron density, the effective electron temperature, plasma potential, and electron energy distribution/probability functions feature a high degree of the radial and axial uniformity and a weak azimuthal dependence, which is consistent with the earlier theoretical predictions. As the input rf power increases, the azimuthal dependence of the global plasma parameters vanishes. The obtained results demonstrate that by introducing the internal oscillated rf currents one can noticeably improve the uniformity of electromagnetic field topography, rf power deposition, and the plasma density in the reactor.

Generation of High‐Density, Uniform Plasmas by Low‐Frequency RF Currents: Key Concepts, Experiments and Applications

The results on generation and technological applications of high‐density and highly uniform low‐frequency (∼460–500 kHz) inductively coupled plasmas (LF ICP) are reviewed. The ICP source is capable of sustaining stable discharges in electrostatic (E) or electromagnetic (H) regimes. In the H operation mode, plasma densities as high as 8 × 1012 cm−3 are achievable with moderate (∼1 kW) Rf powers at low and intermediate pressures (10–100 mTorr). The ICP also features high degree of uniformity over large processing volumes and surfaces. It is shown that the plasma source has a great potential for a number of industrial applications. As an example, the efficiency of the LF ICP for synthesis of silicon nitride (Si3N4) on Si(111) substrate in low‐pressure discharges of Ar+N2 gas mixtures, is demonstrated. The main mechanism involved in the process is the extensive nitrogen ion implantation combined with plasma enhanced thermal diffusion. The crystalline structure, bonding states and chemical composition of the s...

CARBON BONDING STATES AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF HYDROGENATED DLC FILMS DEPOSITED IN ELECTROSTATIC AND ELECTROMAGNETIC RF PLASMA MODES

Efficient hydrogenated diamond-like carbon (DLC) film deposition in a plasma reactor that features both the capacitive and inductively coupled operation regimes is reported. The hydrogenated DLC films have been prepared on silicon chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system. At low RF powers, the system operates as an asymmetric capacitively coupled plasma source, and the film deposition process is undertaken in the electrostatic (E) discharge regime. The films deposited in the electrostatic mode feature graphite-like structure. Above the mode transition threshold, the high-density inductively coupled plasma is produced in the electromagnetic (H) discharge regime. Raman spectrometry suggests the possibility to control relative proportions of sp2 and sp3 hybridized carbon. Variation of the DC substrate bias results in dramatic modification of the film structure from the polymeric (unbiased substrates) to the diamond-like (optimized bias). It has been shown that the deposition rate and hardness of the CH4+Ar gas mixture discharge, the DLC film exhibits mecha nical hardness of 18 GPa, Youngs modulus of 170 GPa, and compressive stress of 1.3 GPa.