3D Visualization of the Effect of Plasma Temperature on Thin-Film Morphology

The impact of plasma temperature as a sputtering deposition parameter on the thin film morphology has been studied using a Monte Carlo (MC) simulation model. The plasma gas was argon (Ar), while three materials (Cu, SiO2, and GaN) represented conductors, insulators, and semiconductors were used as targets. The model estimates the flow of ejected atoms as they reach the substrate, their energy, and their positions. Furthermore, while investigating the deposition rates of the material atoms, the influence of the gas temperature factor inside the vacuum chamber on magnetron deposition performance and hence the quality of the obtained films were explored.