The application of magnetic self-filter to optimization of AIN film growth process during the impulse plasma deposition synthesis

Abstract

Abstract This work presents the very first results of the application of plasma magnetic filtering achieved by a coil coupled with an electrical circuit of a coaxial accelerator during the synthesis of A1N thin films by use of Impulse Plasma Deposition method (IPD). The uniqueness of this technical solution lies in the fact that the filter is not supplied, controlled and synchronized from any external device. Our solution uses the energy from the electrical circuit of plasma accelerator. The plasma state was described on the basis of OES studies. Estimation of the effects of plasma filtering on the film quality was carried out on the basis of characterization of structure morphology (SEM), phase and chemical composition (vibrational spectroscopy). Our work has shown that the use of the developed magnetic self-filter improved the structure of the AlN coatings synthesized under the condition of impulse plasma, especially by the minimization of the tendency to deposit metallic aluminum droplets and columnar growth.