Operational Characteristics of a Low Energy Sputtering Ion Source

Operational Characteristics of a Low Energy Sputtering Ion Source

In this work a modified Freeman Ion source, used for ion sputtering, is designed and constructed. The choice of this ion source was based on its remarkable success in the semiconductor industry employing ion implantation techniques. A detailed technical description of the design and the fabrication of the ion source are given. Thermionic emission current measurements were performed and the discharge characteristics of the ion source were closely monitored. Also, the effects of some parameters such as; sputtering voltage, pressure, magnetic field strength, arc voltage and filament current on the value of the sputtered electrode current were studied. It was found that these parameters can be independently varied, enabling us to control the ion source operation and the sputtering process. The primary results of the extracted ion beams, using a simple stainless steel extraction plate, show a reduction in the detected total ion beam current under sputtering process.