Particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collisions model for the reactive sputter deposition of nitride layers

Abstract

A 2d3v Particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collisions (PIC/MCC) model was constructed for an Ar/N2 reactive gas mixture in a magnetron discharge. A titanium target was used, in order to study the sputter deposition of a TiNx thin film. Cathode currents and voltages were calculated selfconsistently and compared with experiments. Also, ion fluxes to the cathode were calculated, which cause sputtering of the target. The sputtered atom fluxes from the target, and to the substrate were calculated, in order to visualize the deposition of the TiNx film © 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KCaA, Weinheim.