PLASMA-ASSISTED DEPOSITION OF PD THIN-FILMS

In this work we studied the deposition of Pd on a silicon surface by a non-conventional plasma assisted deposition technique. The Pd source is a negatively biased Pd wire located in the deposition chamber and s puttered by the plasma ions. Emission spectroscopy and Langmuir probe measurements are used to characterize the plasma and to determine the experimental parameters influencing the deposit features, especially t he Pd deposition rate (1-5 ML min(-1)) (ML = monolayer). It has been e videnced that exact control of the deposited Pd quantity (several ML) can be performed by adjusting the deposition time duration or the Pd w ire bias. The Pd films devoted to catalysis applications, exhibit inte resting characteristic: they are polycrystalline, flat and composed of small Pd spheres with a diameter of hundreds Angstrom. (C) 1998 Elsev ier Science S.A.