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The features of the probe technique are described and the results of measuring the parameters of plasma generated by a planar magnetron sputtering system with a pure boron target during coating deposition are presented. A feature of probe measurements was the use of heating the collecting surface of a single Langmuir probe. Heating led to a decrease in the electrical resistance of the boron film on the surface, which made it possible to carry out in situ probe measurements of the magnetron discharge plasma parameters during the entire process of boron coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planar magnetrons with a heated crystalline boron target are promising for depositing boron coatings intended for a wide range of scientific and industrial applications. The promotion of this type of magnetrons requires an in-depth investigation of the coating deposition process. A new version of such a magnetron is created for the vacuum electron-ion-plasma (VEIP) test installation for in situ synchrotron radiation monitoring of the boron coating synthesis. The paper proposes the design and parameters for this magnetron and discusses the boron coating deposition using the VEIP test installation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerical simulation of the effect of a reflective electrode on the ion composition of the planar magnetron plasma, into the discharge region of which an electron beam with independently controlled electron current and energy is injected, is performed. The numerical simulation results indicate that in such a configuration, higher concentrations of ions of the working gas (argon) and the target cathode (copper) of the magnetron are achieved due to a higher degree of confinement in the region of the plasma generation of injected electrons due to their partial reflection and deflection in the retarding field of the reflective electrode. The simulation results agree satisfactorily with the experimental mass-charge composition of the plasma ions of such a magnetron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design, the principle of operation, and the characteristics of a planar magnetron sputter for pure boron coatings are presented. A feature of this device is the use of a thermally insulated target (cathode) made from pure crystalline boron, which is heated by an auxiliary low-current discharge to provide an electrical conductivity sufficient for the stable functioning of the magnetron discharge. This makes it possible to realize a DC mode and a pulsed self-sputtering mode in the magnetron, where boron ions in the discharge plasma dominate over the working gas ions. Another feature of the magnetron is the use of a slotted anode of a special design, which ensures stable and long-term operation of the device when a non-conductive boron film is applied to the anode surface. When using a pulsed discharge with a peak current of 40 A, a pulse duration of 400 μs, and a pulse repetition rate of 25 pps, the deposition rate of pure boron coatings on a substrate installed at a distance of 10 cm from the cathode is comparable with the deposition rate of the coatings in a DC magnetron discharge with a current of 300 mA and is found to be about 20−30 nm/min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principle of operation and the characteristics of the experimental equipment intended for the generation of boron ion plasma and beams are presented. The equipment comprises a vacuum arc source of boron ions with boron isotope separation in a magnetic field and a plasma generator for deposition of boron-containing coatings based on a planar magnetron sputter. Common to this equipment is the use of lanthanum hexaboride cathodes, but for planar magnetron, a pure boron cathode heated in the discharge is also used. It is shown that, when silicon wafer is implanted with beams of 10B+ and 11B+ boron isotope ions with doses of 1014–1016 ion/cm2, the isotopic effect of the diode properties of the implanted surface is observed. The results of studies of the properties of the obtained boron-containing coatings on model materials: stainless steel, crystal silicon, and E110 (Zr–1Nb) reactor alloy are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The axial distribution of the ion mass-to-charge state in planar magnetron plasma has been studied. Copper is used as a target material, and argon was used as an operating gas. To study the ion mass-to-charge state, an upgraded quadrupole mass spectrometer was used. Measurements were carried out along the discharge system axis at a distance of 15 to 45 cm from the magnetron target. The operating pressure in a continuous mode was changed in the range from 1.2·10–3 to 3·10–3 Torr at discharge currents from 100 to 500 ma. It has been shown that at a distance of 15 cm from the magnetron, argon ions predominate in a fractional ratio. At the maximum distance, a significant copper ion fraction is observed. The fraction of argon ions decreases with increase in the discharge current and the operating pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have studied TiO, Ag, Ag/TiO, and Cu/TiO coatings grown on track-etched polyethylene terephthalate membranes. The metals and oxides were deposited by reactive vacuum sputtering using a planar magnetron. The microstructure of the samples were examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy techniques. The elemental composition of the coatings were determined by energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis, and their phase composition was determined by X-ray diffraction at different temperatures and by transmission electron diffraction. Titanium dioxide can be present on the surface of track-etched membranes (TMs) in three forms: nanocrystals of tetragonal anatase with orthorhombic brookite and amorphous TiO impurities. The copper-metallized TM has been shown to contain cubic CuO. The optical properties of the composite membranes and films have been studied by absorption spectroscopy. The energies of direct and indirect allowed optical transitions have been evaluated from measured absorption spectra of the TiO, Ag/TiO, and Cu/TiO coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]