High rate deposition of ta-C : H using an electron cyclotron wave resonance plasma source

A compact electron cyclotron wave resonance (ECWR) source has been develope d for the high rate deposition of hydrogenated tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C:H). The ECWR provides growth rates of up to 1.5 nm/s over a 4-inch d iameter and an independent control of the deposition rate and ion energy. T he ta-C:H was deposited using acetylene as the sourer gas and was character ized as having an sp(3) content of up to 77%, plasmon energy of 27 eV, refr active index of 2.45, hydrogen content of about 30%, optical gap of up to 2 .1 eV and RMS surface roughness of 0.04 nm. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.