Various applications of plasma

Devices (called) as plasma sources

ESL740 Non-conventional Sources of Energy

Bibhuti Bhusan Sahu

Department of Energy Science and Engineering, IIT Delhi

August 2023
Applied Plasma Science – Scope and Applications
Application Areas
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Broad Spectrum of Electromagnetic Interaction

Three separate time domains representing a variety of phenomena attributed to

electronic and atomic constituents as well as interactions with electromagnetic
fields.
Kostya (Ken) Ostrikov, J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 44, 174003 (2011)

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 Need for high density plasma sources
One needs moderate to high density plasmas for different industrial applications.
One also requires high energy electrons, which are necessary for the activation of
radicals and species that can carry out many electron impact excitation, dissociation
and also ionization during the process.
• DC discharges: low plasma density, internal electrodes
• RF (0.4 - 30 MHz): Internal or external Electrodes, inexpensive power, years of
development and experience.
• VLF (30 - 300MHz): relatively undeveloped, short skin depth, transmission line
effect, circuit losses
•UHF (300 MHz – 1 GHz): relatively undeveloped and many complications due to
RF effects, different components for development, intensive investigation to be
done.
•Microwave (ECR), 2.45 GHz: Large B-field, expensive setup for large area,
limited flexibility, energetic electrons.
H Conrads and M Schmidt, Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 9, 441 (2000)
A. Ganguli and R. D. Tarey, Current Sci,83 (2002).
Plasma enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD)

Plasma Typical parameters

Gas: SiH4 [Silane], for a-Si
SiH4/O2, for SiO2
radicals + + Sheath Pressure: ~200 -1000 mT
region Temperature: 100-800°C
Plasma density: ~107 - 1010 cm-3
Electron Temperature: ~2-10 eV
Substrate

Radicals produced in the plasma and the supplied feed gas drift to the surface
The radicals do not chemically react with the substrate
Instead the radicals combine to form stable chemicals (Solids)
Ions accelerated across the sheath deliver energy that tends to “cross-link” these
chemical bonds
Growth pattern is complex

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Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD)

SiH4 SiH4 SiHX+H2

SiH H2
SiH2

S
Simplified plasma deposition
SiH4 + e- → SiH3 + H + e- SiH3 + e- → SiH2 + H + e-
SiH2 + e- → SiH + H + e- SiH + e- → Si + H + e-
SiHx+ surface+ ion energy → Si (s) + Hx(g)
 Plasma Assisted Etching
20 to 30 years ago most of etching processes were based on “wet chemicals”.

Plasma

radicals + + + + + Sheath Typical parameters

region Gas: Cl2, CF4, O2 (ashing)
+ Pressure: ~10 mT
Plasma density: ~109 - 1011 cm-3
Electron Temperature: ~2-10 eV

Radicals produced in the plasma will drift to the surface

Ions accelerated across the sheath deliver energy, driving the chemical reaction(s)
between the radicals and the surface material
The resulting molecules leave in gaseous form

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Plasma etching

Cl2 Cl2 SiCl2

Cl+ SiCl2
Cl

Simplified etching S

Cl2 + e- → Cl + Cl+ + 2e-

Si(s) + 2Cl(g)+ ion energy → SiCl2(g)
Implantation

Plasma

+ + Typical parameters
+ Sheath
+ Gas: BF3, AsH3, (Si Doping)
+ region N2, O2 (Metal hardening)
Pressure: ~10 mT
Plasma density: ~109 - 1010 cm-3
Electron Temperature: ~5-15 eV

Ions are accelerated (Typically in a pulsed mode)

Upon impact, they drive deep into the cathode,

where they are trapped

These implanted ions change the surface structure

This results in a change of the surface characteristics

(Hardness, friction, wear resistance, etc)
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 Plasma polymerization

A monomer is a molecule that forms the basic unit

for Polymers

Plasma polymerization coats the substrate

The plasma-polymerized polymers will show different

chemical and physical properties as compared to
polymers obtained using a conventional synthesis Thin Solid Films, 223 (1993) 154-160
method
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Magnetron Sputtering

Deposited
layer n
Plasma
n
+ n +
+ Sheath Typical parameters
+
+ n region Gas: Ar, N2, O2 (reactive)
Pressure: ~ few to tens of mT
Plasma density: ~109 - 1011 cm-3
Electron Temperature: ~2-15 eV

Ions are accelerated into target

Some of the surface atoms are sputtered off of the target.

These sputtered atoms “flow” across the chamber to where they are deposited

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Magnetron source is a E x B0 device
Typical planar magnetron
E is aligned perpendicular to target
B0 is aligned perpendicular to E
E x B0 is perpendicular to both E and B0

The electric field generates a current owing to the EB0 electron drift, whereas
ions do not experience the magnetic field because of their large Larmor radius.
 Other plasma based techniques
•Dual frequency capacitively coupled plasmas (CCPs) (density ~ 1011 – 1012 cm-3)
•Inductively coupled plasmas (ICPs) (density ~ 1010 – 1012 cm-3)
•Helicon wave sources (HWS) Expensive (density ~ 1010 – 1013 cm-3)
•Microwave plasma source (density ~ 1010 – 1012 cm-3)
•Electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) Expensive (density ~ 1010 – 1012 cm-3)
•UHF plasma source (density ~ 1010 – 1012 cm-3) Relatively undeveloped
W. Tsai et al., JVSTB 14, 3276 (1996)
M. Light, F.F. Chen, and P.L. Colestock, Plasma Sources Sci.
Technol.11, 273 (2002).
B. B. Sahu et al. J. Appl. Phys. 116, 134903 (2014).

Laser produced plasma technique

•Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) E. Morintale, C. Constantinescu, and M. Dinescu, Phys. AUC, 20,
43 (2010).

Other technique
•High power impulse magnetron sputtering
Ehiasarian et al, Vacuum 65 , 147 (2002)
discharge (HiPIMS)
Dual-frequency CCPs are better

W. Tsai et al., JVSTB 14, 3276 (1996)

Yang Yang1, and Mark J. Kushner, J. Appl. Phys. 108, 113306 2010
F Piallat et al. J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 47, 185201 (2014)
Inductively Coupled Plasma: Etch and Deposition

0.4 – 13.56 MHz

Hopwood and Mantei, JVST A21, S139 (2003)

J. Yota et al. J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 18, 372 (2000)
T. Chen, Electrochemi. Solid-State Lett. 13 J89 (2010)

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RF/UHF hybrid plasmas for PECVD at CAPST (SKKU, Korea)

Gas supply
(SiH4 + N2 + NH3) Matching box
RF (13.56 MHz)
Utilization of different plasma sources,
e.g., CCP source at RF 13.56 MHz and
UHF source at 320 MHz.
UHF
(320 MHz)
Shower cathode UHF source assists and enhances the
Langmuir 1st generated plasma dissociation of radicals in the plasmas.
probe Optical fiber
2nd generated plasma
OES equipment
Substrate
Heater Thus, using RF and UHF source as hybrid
Mechanical pump sources, higher dissociation, excitation
Booster
UHF
(320 MHz)
and ionization of the radicals during the
2nd generated plasma
deposition process .

Parallel electrode UHF plasma source: Electrode length = /2

 is the free space wave length at the excitation frequency
B. B. Sahu et al. J. Appl. Phys. 116, 134903 (2014).

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Microwave/RF hybrid plasma source

Hybrid frequency deposition method

Microwave frequency + RF frequency

850 MHz 13.56 MHz

Generate reactive and controls ion
activated species and bombardment and
provide electrons and energy
ions

850 MHz 13.56 MHz

Plasma generation by Plasma generation
Specialty of RF/microwave hybrid plasma surface wave by collisional heating

1. Higher ionization and dissociation of molecular

species by microwave source
2. Ion energy control by RF source Low Te, High n0 with
3. Hybrid plasma has produce low Te and high plasma ion energy control
density.
4. Much high density > cut off density ~ 8 x 109 cm-3
plasma generation by Electromagnetic wave
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RF/microwave hybrid PECVD system
with 850 MHz advanced microwave source

850 MHz source

Cavity resonator
with slot antenna

Modified design

Simulation work

Photo of plasma generated by Photo of plasma generated by hybrid

only 850 MHz source source
 ECR Plasma: Etch and Deposition

In plasma processing-related
applications, the frequency is
about a few GHz, the typical
value chosen being = 2.45 GHz.

the plasma is initiated by

exploiting the fundamental
resonance condition  » ce.

The applied axial magnetic field

(along the chamber axis) is
nonuniform, the typical profiles
being either that of a mirror
or a half-mirror.

Hopwood and Mantei, JVST A21, S139 (2003)

S. Matsuo and K. Kikuchi, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., Part 2, 66, L210 (1988).
J. C. Barbour, H. J. Stein, O. A. Popov, M. Yoder, and C. A. Outten, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A, 9, 480 (1991).

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Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD)
Laser A pulsed laser beam is focused onto
CCD /PMT the surface of a solid target.
laser beam
spectrometer
The strong absorption of the
electromagnetic radiation by the
solid surface leads to rapid
evaporation of the target materials.
Substrates
The evaporated materials consist of
Target highly excited and ionized species.
They presented themselves as a
glowing plasma plume immediately
in front of the target surface

•Target: (metals, semiconductors…)

•Laser: UV, 10 nanosecond pulses.
•Vacuum: Atmospheres to ultrahigh vacuum

G. Socol et al. Appl. Surface Sci,.260 42 (2012).

H. Agura et al. Thin Solid Films, 445, 263 (2003).
 High power impulse magnetron sputtering discharge
(HiPIMS) It gives high electron density (~ 1013 cm-3) and
highly ionized flux of the sputtered material.
laser beam

HiPIMS discharge uses the same sputtering

apparatus except the power supply

HiPIMS - Power supply

Ehiasarian et al, Vacuum 65 , 147 (2002)
K. Sarakinos et al. Surf. Coat. Technol. 204, 1661
(2010)
J. T. Gudmundsson et al. J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 30,
030801 (2012)
HiPIMS discharge operates with a
•Cathode voltage in the range of 500-2000 V
•Current densities of 3-40 A/cm2
•Power densities in the range of 1-3 kW/cm2
•Frequency in the range of 50 – 500 Hz
•Duty cycle in the range of 0.5 – 5 %
Recommended Reading
For more understanding
1. Plasma Sciences and the Creation of Wealth, Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing
Company Limited, (2005).

2. Cur. Sci. 83, 279 (2002).

3. Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 9, 441, (2000).

bbsahu@dese.iitd.ac.in
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Thank you !

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