Triode sputtering

Triode sputtering. Schematic view of thermionically supported glow discharge adapted for sputtering. 

Triode sputtering uses an additional cathode to sustain the plasma but is more complicated and may cause contamination of the deposit... 

For the thinnest amorphous films (lOOnm) deposited by triode sputtering onto substrates maintained at 293 and 77 K, and then annealed upto 773 K, Alameda et al. (1990) show that the in-plane magnetic (induced) anisotropy, measured at the glass film interface, increases at low temperature and falls to low values after annealing. The same... 

Triode configuration (plasma) A plasma configuration where a plasma is established between a cathode and an anode, often with magnetic confinement, and ions are extracted out of the plasma to a third electrode, which is at a negative potential with respect to the plasma. Used in triode sputtering configurations. 

Sputter-ion pumps of the triode type excel in contrast to the diode-type pumps in high-noble gas stability. Argon is pumped stably even at an inlet pressure of 1 10 mbar. The pumps can be started w/ithout difficulties at pressures higher than 1 10 mbar and can operate continuously at an air inlet producing a constant air pressure of 5 10 mbar. A new kind of design for the electrodes extends the service life of the cathodes by 50 %. 

Figure 3.12 Schematic diagram of the electrode system of a triode-type sputter ion pump...

A number of variations have been introduced to improve the efficiency of the deposition process. Instead of a dc potential, a radio-frequency voltage can be used to maintain the plasma ( rf-sputtering ). Deposition rates may be increased by adding a focusing system or magnetron. Another improvement makes use of a separate anode to produce the plasma and to preserve the quality of the target. This system is known as a triode. 

Sputtering, diode A sputtering arrangement where the cathode electrode is the Target that ejects electrons by Secondary electron emission and atoms by Sputtering. The second electrode is the anode. See also Sputtering, triode. 

Sputtering, triode A sputtering arrangement that has three electrodes. One cathode is the cathode of the gas discharge another electrode is the anode of the gas discharge (and is often a hot filament electron emitter). The third electrode is a sputtering cathode that provides the sputtered species to be deposited. 

Figure 11.23 A schematic diagram showing some of the options for sputtering system configurations including dc or rf power supplies (but not both), and the possible addition of a substrate bias and a filament or auxiliary anode for a triode configuration.

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