Magnetically Enhanced High Density Plasma-Chemical Vapor Deposition Plasma Source For Depositing Diamond and Diamond-Like Films

Abstract

A method of sputtering a layer on a substrate using a high-energy density plasma (HEDP) magnetron includes positioning the magnetron in a vacuum with an anode, cathode target, magnet assembly, substrate, and feed gas; applying unipolar negative direct current (DC) voltage pulses from a pulse power supply with a pulse forming network (PFN) to a pulse converting network (PCN); and adjusting an amplitude and frequency associated with the plurality of unipolar negative DC voltage pulses causing a resonance mode associated with the PCN. The PCN converts the unipolar negative DC voltage pulses to an asymmetric alternating current (AC) signal that generates a high-density plasma discharge on the HEDP magnetron. An increase in amplitude or pulse duration of the plurality of unipolar negative DC voltage pulses causes an increase in the amplitude of a negative voltage of the asymmetric AC signal in response to the PCN being in the resonance mode, thereby causing sputtering discharge associated with the HEDP magnetron to form the layer from the cathode target on the substrate. A corresponding apparatus and computer-readable medium are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of sputtering a layer on a substrate using a high-energy density plasma (HEDP) magnetron, the method comprising:
 positioning the HEDP magnetron in a vacuum with an anode, a cathode target, a magnet assembly, the substrate, and a feed gas;   applying a plurality of unipolar negative direct current (DC) voltage pulses from a pulse power supply to a pulse converting network (PCN), the PCN comprising at least one inductor and at least one capacitor; and   adjusting an amplitude and a frequency associated with the plurality of unipolar negative DC voltage pulses causing a resonance mode associated with the PCN, the PCN converting the unipolar negative DC voltage pulses to an asymmetric alternating current (AC) signal that generates a high-density plasma discharge on the HEDP magnetron with pulse current densities in a range of about 0.1 to 20 A/cm2, the asymmetric AC signal operatively coupled to the cathode target, the asymmetric AC signal comprising a first negative voltage and a positive voltage followed by a second negative voltage, the second negative voltage generating plasma for use during a subsequent first negative voltage, an increase in amplitude or pulse duration of the plurality of unipolar negative DC voltage pulses causing an increase in amplitude of at least one of the negative voltages of the asymmetric AC signal in response to the PCN being in the resonance mode, thereby causing sputtering discharge associated with the HEDP magnetron to form the layer from the cathode target on the substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The method, as defined by  claim 1 , further comprising applying a negative bias voltage to the substrate, thereby attracting positively charged ions sputtered from the cathode target to the substrate, a value of the negative bias voltage being in a range of about 10 V to 500 V. 
     
     
         3 . The method, as defined by  claim 1 , wherein the cathode target comprises a hollow shape. 
     
     
         4 . The method, as defined by  claim 1 , wherein the feed gas comprises a noble gas, the noble gas comprising at least one of Ar, Ne, Kr, Xe, He. 
     
     
         5 . The method, as defined by  claim 1 , wherein the feed gas comprises a mixture of a noble gas and a reactive gas, the reactive gas being reactive with atoms associated with the cathode target. 
     
     
         6 . The method, as defined by  claim 1 , wherein the feed gas comprises a mixture of a noble gas and a gas comprising atoms associated with the cathode target. 
     
     
         7 . The method as defined by  claim 1 , wherein the cathode target comprises a flat shape. 
     
     
         8 . The method, as defined by  claim 1 , further comprising rotating the cathode target at a speed in a range of about 1 to 400 revolutions per minute. 
     
     
         9 . The method, as defined by  claim 1 , wherein the cathode target comprises at least one of the following elements: B, C, Al, Si, P, S, Ga, Ge, As, Se, In, Sn, Sb, Te, I, Tl, Pb, Bi, Sc, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, Lu, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Au, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, B a. 
     
     
         10 . The method, as defined by  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises at least one of a portion of an automotive engine, valve, injector head, crank shaft, bushing, bearing, sprocket, cell phone, mobile phone, iPhone, iPod, touch screen, cutting tool, drill bit, insert for cutting tool, semiconductor wafer with a diameter in a range of about 25 mm to 450 mm, razor blade, film used to manufacture an electronic memory device, RAM, PCRAM, ReRam. 
     
     
         11 . The method, as defined by  claim 1 , wherein the first negative voltage comprises a first amplitude and the second negative voltage comprises a second amplitude, the second amplitude being less than the first amplitude. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus that sputters a layer on a substrate using a high-energy density plasma (HEDP) magnetron, the apparatus comprising:
 a HEDP magnetron configured to be positioned in a vacuum with an anode, a cathode target, a magnet assembly, the substrate, and a feed gas;   a pulse power supply, the pulse power supply providing a plurality of unipolar negative direct current (DC) voltage pulses; and   a pulse converting network (PCN) comprising at least one inductor and at least one capacitor configured to cause a resonance discharge between the pulse power supply and the HEDP magnetron, the PCN converting the unipolar negative DC voltage pulses to an asymmetric alternating current (AC) signal that generates a high-density plasma discharge on the HEDP magnetron with pulse current densities in a range of about 0.1 to 20 A/cm2, an amplitude and a frequency of a plurality of unipolar negative DC voltage pulses adjusted to cause a resonance mode associated with the PCN, the asymmetric AC signal operatively coupled to the cathode target, the asymmetric AC signal comprising a first negative voltage and a positive voltage followed by a second negative voltage, the second negative voltage generating plasma for use during a subsequent first negative voltage, an increase in amplitude or pulse duration of the plurality of unipolar negative DC voltage pulses causing an increase in amplitude of at least one of the negative voltages of the asymmetric AC signal in response to the PCN being in the resonance mode, thereby causing sputtering discharge associated with the HEDP magnetron to form the layer from the cathode target on the substrate.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus, as defined by  claim 12 , further comprising a negative bias voltage power supply, the negative bias voltage power supply operatively coupling a negative bias voltage to the substrate, thereby attracting positively charged ions sputtered from the cathode target to the substrate, a value of the negative bias voltage being in a range of about 10 V to 500 V. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus, as defined by  claim 12 , wherein the cathode target comprises a hollow shape 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus, as defined by  claim 12 , wherein a value of a magnetic field disposed parallel to a surface of the cathode target is in a range of about 150 to 1000 G. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus, as defined by  claim 12 , wherein the feed gas comprises a noble gas, the noble gas comprising at least one of He, Ar, Kr, Xe, Ne. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus, as defined by  claim 12 , wherein the feed gas comprises a mixture of a noble gas and a reactive gas, the reactive gas being reactive with atoms associated with the cathode target. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus, as defined by  claim 12 , wherein the feed gas comprises a mixture of a noble gas and a gas comprising atoms associated with the cathode target. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus, as defined by  claim 12 , wherein the cathode target comprises a flat shape. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus, as defined by  claim 12 , further comprising a magnet assembly, the magnet assembly rotating at a speed in a range of about 1 to 400 revolutions per minute. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus, as defined by  claim 12 , wherein the first negative voltage comprises a first amplitude and the second negative voltage comprises a second amplitude, the second amplitude being less than the first amplitude. 
     
     
         22 . A computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processing device, perform a method of sputtering a layer on a substrate using a high-energy density plasma (HEDP) magnetron comprising:
 positioning the HEDP magnetron in a vacuum with an anode, a cathode target, a magnet assembly, the substrate, and a feed gas;   applying a plurality of unipolar negative direct current (DC) voltage pulses from a pulse power supply to a pulse converting network (PCN), the PCN comprising at least one inductor and at least one capacitor; and   adjusting an amplitude and a frequency associated with the plurality of unipolar negative DC voltage pulses causing a resonance mode associated with the PCN, the PCN converting the unipolar negative DC voltage pulses to an asymmetric alternating current (AC) signal that generates a high-density plasma discharge on the HEDP magnetron with pulse current densities in a range of about 0.1 to 20 A/cm2, the asymmetric AC signal operatively coupled to the cathode target, the asymmetric AC signal comprising a first negative voltage and a positive voltage followed by a second negative voltage, the second negative voltage generating plasma for use during a subsequent first negative voltage, an increase in amplitude or pulse duration of the plurality of unipolar negative DC voltage pulses causing an increase in amplitude of at least one of the negative voltages of the asymmetric AC signal in response to the PCN being in the resonance mode, thereby causing sputtering discharge associated with the HEDP magnetron to form the layer from the cathode target on the substrate.   
     
     
         23 . The computer-readable medium, as defined by  claim 22 , wherein the first negative voltage comprises a first amplitude and the second negative voltage comprises a second amplitude, the second amplitude being less than the first amplitude.