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The temporal behavior of the electron energy distribution function and plasma parameters in the vicinity of the substrate have been investigated in detail by performing time-resolved probe measurements in a pulsed and unbalanced magnetron argon discharge. A 20-kHz midfrequency unipolar dc pulse with an on-time average power of 160 W and a duty cycle of 50% was applied to the metallic cathode target. It was found that the high-energy electrons with energies higher than the sheath potential energy are generated within a few microseconds after the dc pulse is turned on and the electron energy distribution functions during the pulse-on period show a bi-Maxwellian distribution with the high-energy electron group. In the afterglow after the dc pulse is turned off, the initial fast decay of the high-energy electrons and the subsequent diffusive slower decay of the low-energy electrons were observed. This temporal behavior of the electron energy distribution function reflected two-fold decay characteristics of electron density and electron temperature when approximated by a biexponential function with two characteristic decay times and an initial fast decay time of less than a few microseconds and a subsequent slower decay time of few tens of microseconds were observed. The temporal behavior of the other plasma parameters were presented and these results were explained in view of electron heating by deeply penetrating the high-voltage cathode sheath and electron transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, an inductively coupled plasma (ICP)-enhanced reactive sputter deposition system with a rectangular target was developed as a linear plasma source for roll-to-roll deposition processes. The longitudinal distribution of the film thickness indicated the feasibility of uniformity control via the control of the power deposition profile of the assisted ICPs. The characteristics of Si films were investigated in terms of the film thickness uniformity and film crystallinity. The results of Raman and X-ray diffraction measurements indicated the crystallization of the Si film with a crystallinity as high as 73%-78% in all the samples of the longitudinal position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simultaneously achieving higher carriers concentration and mobility is a technical challenge against up-scaling the transparent-conductive performances of transparent-conductive oxides. Utilizing one order higher dense (~1 × 1011 cm-3) plasmas (in comparison to the conventional direct current plasmas), highly c-axis oriented Al-doped ZnO films have been prepared with precise control over relative composition and chemical states of constituting elements. Tailoring of intrinsic (O vacancies) and extrinsic (ionic Al and zero-valent Al) dopants provide simultaneous enhancement in mobility and concentration of charge carriers. Room-temperature resistivity as low as 4.89 × 10-4 Ω cm along the carrier concentration 5.6 × 1020 cm-3 is obtained in 200 nm thick transparent films. Here, the control of atomic Al reduces the charge trapping at grain boundaries and subdues the effects of grain boundary scattering. A mechanism based on the correlation between electron-hole interaction and carrier mobility is proposed for degenerately doped wide band-gap semiconductors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the downstream region of an unbalanced magnetron argon discharge, the influences of substrate bias (i.e., the condition of plasma boundary) on electron energy distribution function and plasma characteristics were investigated through the experiments using a single Langmuir probe. In a steady state with the grounded substrate, it could be found that the electron current flowing to the substrate compensates for the ion current flowing to the cathode due to the axial magnetic field such that the substrate plays the role of the actual anode. The potential of the anode sheath could be controlled by applying a dc voltage to the substrate, and the nonlinear behavior of the plasma potential with respect to the dc substrate voltage caused the distinctive evolution of the potential of the anode sheath. It was found that a transition of the electron energy distribution function from a bi-Maxwellian distribution at small dc voltages to a Maxwellian distribution at highly negative dc voltages occurs with decreasing the substrate bias voltage. This phenomenon was discussed in view of the role of the substrate as an electron loss boundary and the cooling mechanism of electrons in bulk plasmas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The time-resolved probe measurements of the plasma parameters and the electron energy distribution function are carried out in a unipolar pulsed dc magnetron argon discharge. The cathode target is driven by the 20 kHz midfrequency unipolar dc pulses at three operating modes, such as constant voltage, constant power, and constant current with the duty cycles ranging from 10% to 90%. It is observed that as the duty cycle is reduced, the electron temperature averaged during the pulse-on period rapidly increases irrespective of the operating mode although the average electron density strongly depends on the operating mode. The comparison of the measured electron energy distribution functions shows that the electron heating during the pulse-on period becomes efficient in the pulse operation with short duty cycle, which is closely related to the deep penetration of the high-voltage sheath into the bulk during the pulse-on period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]