Cluster Beam Studies.
Abstract
Cluster beams offer a means of depositing high-quality thin films at low substrate temperature for microelectronics fabrication. The advantage of cluster beam depositions is the ability to optimize the energy of the impacting particles, either directly in clustered vapors of nonvolatile materials or indirectly by bombarding the film during deposition with clusters of inert gases. When a cluster beam is ionized and accelerated through several thousand volts, clusters that contain 1000 or more atoms strike the surface with several electron volt energy per atom. The suprathermal energy of the depositing atoms is thought to produce unique thin films (either in quality, or in the ability to be deposited at all). This report describes the general effort on cluster beam formation methods, on cluster ionization by electron bombardment in a gridded ionization cell, on electrostatic mass separation, and on electrostatic acceleration to a predetermined velocity. Detailed results are given on the improvements in performance of ionization cells for clusters beams of nonvolatile and gaseous materials.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA195182
Entities
People
- R. L. Poeschel
- W. Knauer
Organizations
- HRL Laboratories