Nitrogen Atom Energy Distributions in a Hollow-Cathode Planar Sputtering Magnetron

Phys Rev E., 61, 1904-1911 (2000).

Wang, Z., Cohen, S. A., Ruzic, D. N., Goeckner, M. J.

Energy distributions of nitrogen atoms (N) in a hollow-cathode planar sputtering magnetron were obtained by use of optical emission spectroscopy. A characteristic line, N i 8216.3 Å, well separated from molecular nitrogen emission bands, was identified. Jansson’s nonlinear spectral deconvolution method, refined by minimization of χ_w², was used to obtain the optimal deconvolved spectra. These showed nitrogen atom energies from 1 eV to beyond 500 eV. Based on comparisons with vftrim computer code results, it is proposed that the energetic N’s are generated from N₂⁺ ions after these ions are accelerated through the sheath and dissociatively reflect from the cathode.