Exercises

1. How large is the evaporation rate (per m2) for Al (M=27) at 1500 K ? (sticking coeff.=1)
2. Knowing the answer to question 1: How large is the deposition rate onto a substrate that is 1 m
away from a Al crucible of 1 cm2 area, if
• The substrate is centered and orthogonal with respect to the vertical line departing from the
center of the crucible?
• If the substrate is inclined by 30 °?
3. Make a schematic design of film thickness across steps, for various impinging angles.
4. Assuming a rate of 1 µm/minute: How much oxygen is incorporated in an Al film when the
residual water pressure amounts 1.0E-7 mbar. We assume that water impinging onto the surface
of the growing film is chemisorbed and split into H2 +O to 100 %. (T=300 K).

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 Solutions (chap 3)
1. How large is the evaporation rate (per m2) for Al (M=27) at 1500 K ? (sticking coeff.=1)

⎡ p* ⎤
Answer: We have to evaluate Φe = α e ⎢ ⎥ m = 27
kg kMole
= 4.4910 −26 kg
⎣ 2πmkT ⎦ kmole 6.02⋅10 26

From slide 6 we get p*=0.012 torr or 0.017 mbar or 1.7 Pa (1 torr is 1.32 mbar). The evaporation flux
density is obtained as 2.23x10+22 atoms/m2/s

2. Knowing the answer to question 1: How large is the deposition rate onto a substrate that is 1 m
away from a Al crucible of 1 cm2 area, if
• The substrate is centered and orthogonal with respect to the vertical line departing from
the center of the crucible?

dN S φ ⋅ Acrucible 2.23⋅10 22 ⋅10 −4 17 atoms 27kg / kmole 10 −2 m 3 −29 m

3
= = = 1.77⋅10 Vatom = = = 1.66⋅10
dAS 4 πr 2 4 π ⋅1 m 2s 2700kg / m 3 kmole atom
dN s This is very small. In practice, up to 1 µm/min are
rate = ⋅V = 3pm / s = 10.6nm / h achieved, or 18 nm/s.  T>1800 K and 10 times larger
dAs atom crucible area.

If the substrate is inclined by 30 °?Multiply with cos(30 °)

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 3. Make a schematic design of film thickness across steps, for various impinging angles.

This is true at lower temperatures. At higher temperatures diffusion effects may occur.

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 4. Assuming a rate of 1 µm/minute: How much oxygen is incorporated in an Al film when the
residual water pressure amounts 1.0E-7 mbar. We assume that water impinging onto the surface
of the growing film is chemisorbed and split into H2 +O to 100 %. (T=300 K).

In any deposition system, there is a residual pressure of disturbing gases, such as oxygen, nitrogen,
water, pumping oil, grease vapor, etc. Best to make a quick estimation on the potential impurity density
that may result from these gases. Water can be a very serious contaminant during deposition of reactive
metals such as aluminum.

What is the deposition flux density F (atoms/m2/s) of Al atoms leading to the rate R of 1 µm/min?
We assume that all arriving atoms stick (sticking coefficient = 1). (Al: 27 g/mole, 2.7 g/cm3)

φAl = R[ m /s] ⋅ ρ (kg /m 3 ) /M[ kg /kmole] ⋅ N L [ kmole−1 ]

kg 1
−6 2.7 ⋅ 10 3 ⋅ 6 ⋅ 10 26
1.0 ⋅ 10 m m3 kMole 1
= = 1.0 ⋅ 10 21 2
60s 27kg /kmole m s
pH 2O 1.0⋅10 −5 kg / m / s 2 +17 1
φ H 2O = = = 3.610
2πmkT 2.78⋅10 −23 kgm / s m 2s

With a sticking probability of 1, the concentration of oxygen atoms amounts to 0.036 %

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