INVESTIGATION OF PLASMA POTENTIAL DETERMINATIONS UNDER CONDITIONS OF SPUTTERING,
Abstract
Physical sputtering is defined as the disinte gration of a solid surface by transferring the kinetic energy of a bombarding ion to the surface which results in the ejection of an uncharged atom. The source of kinetic energy is usually an ion, since an ion may be acceler ated to any desired velocity by a potential fall region; and the amount of material sputtered from a surface is a function of the kinetic energy of the incident ion. Sputtering threshold may be defined in general as the minimum energy a bombarding ion must have in order to eject an uncharged atom from the target surface. Since the threshold energy is a function of the kinetic energy of the bombarding ion, it is a necessity that the correct target-plasma potential be known. This experimental investigation involved the use of a small spherical tungsten probe for measuring the value of the plasma potential; and in determining if the plasma potential was uni form across the target, guard ring, and discharge chamber. The potential of the argon plasma was determined to be 15.5 volts in the region of the gold target. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1963
- Accession Number
- AD0418564
Entities
People
- Jerry Lee Mckenzie
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology