Lecture 10

Vacuum Technology and Plasmas

Reading:
Chapter 10

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ECE 6450 - Dr. Alan Doolittle

Vacuum Science and Plasmas

In order to understand deposition techniques such as evaporation, sputtering, , plasma processing,
chemical vapor deposition, molecular beam epitaxy, etc, we must first have a grasp of the manner in
which vacuum and gases flow. Thus, we will begin with a discussion of vacuum physics and vacuum
techniques.
Definitions of Vacuum Regimes:
1.) Rough Vacuum: ~0.1-760 torr (atmospheric pressure is 760 torr)
2.) Medium Vacuum: ~ 0.1 to 10-4 torr
3.) High Vacuum: ~ 10-8 to 10-4 torr
4.) Ultrahigh Vacuum: < 10-8 torr
2 modes of gas flow:
1.) Viscous Flow regime: gas density (pressure) is high enough, many molecule-molecule collisions occur and
dominate the flow process (one molecule pushes another). Collisions with walls play a secondary role in
limiting the gas flow.
2.) Molecular flow regime: gas density (pressure) is very low, few molecule-molecule collisions occur and
molecule-chamber wall collisions dominate the flow process (molecules are held back by walls)
The average distance between collisions (mean free path) is:

1
=
2
2 d n

kT
2 d 2 P

where d is the molecule diameter in meters, k=1.381e-23 J/K, and pressure, P, is in pascal (d~ 3 Angstroms for diatomic
molecules).
At room temperature, is 78 um for 1 torr (typical plasma process pressure) and 7.8e6 meters for 1e-11 torr (typical Molecular
Beam Epitaxy systems).
Georgia Tech

ECE 6450 - Dr. Alan Doolittle

Knudsen Numbers and Pumping Technology

The Knudsen number (Kn) is used to distinguish between regimes. Kn (dimensionless number) is ratio of the mean free path to the
characteristic dimension of the chamber (can be diameter of a pipe, or vacuum chamber). When Kn>1 then you are in the molecular flow
regime. When Kn<0.01 you are in the viscous flow regime. In between, the flow characteristics are indeterminate.

Vacuum pump systems are characterized by throughput, Q, which is a measure of the mass flow through a system and pumping
speed. Units are pressure-volume/time such as:
torr-liters/second
sccm=standard cubic centimeters per minute (or cubic centimeters @ 1 atmosphere (760 torr)/minute)
slm=standard liters per minute (or liters @ 1 atmosphere (760 torr)/minute)
Note: 1 standard liter is 1/22.4 moles of gas.

Georgia Tech

ECE 6450 - Dr. Alan Doolittle

Conductance and Pumping Speed

Throughput, Q=C(Pupstream Pdownstream) where C is the conductance (we will use Liters/Sec unit) and
For Molecular flow:
For a tube C=11.6(D3/L) where D is the tube diameter in cm, L is the tube length in cm and P is pressure in
torr. Note for this case, C is independent of pressure. For an orifice (small hole with negligible length),
C=11.6 D2/4.
For Viscous Flow:
For a tube, C=180(D4/L)Paverage
A more accurate means of characterizing gas flow in this regime is Q=K(P2upstream P2downstream) where K is a
constant related to conductance, C by the relationship K=C/(2 x Paverage) where Paverage=(Pupstream-Pdownstream).
Proof:

Q = C (Pupstream Pdownstream )

Paverage Q = C (Pupstream Pdownstream )Paverage

Paverage Q = C (Pupstream Pdownstream )

(P

upstream

+ Pdownstream )
2

2
2
Paverage Q = C Pupstream
Pupstream Pdownstream + Pupstream Pdownstream Pdownstream

C 2
2
Pupstream Pdownstream
Q=

2P
average
2
2
Q = K Pupstream
Pdownstream

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C
K =
2P
average

) 12

ECE 6450 - Dr. Alan Doolittle

Conductance and Pumping Speed

Like electrical conductance, parallel conductance add while series conductance add in reciprocal form
1/Ct=1/C1 + 1/C2 + .... Pumps are specified in terms of pumping speed, S, (units volume/time) which is
related to throughput as,
S=Q/Pat the pump inlet.
(Note: S is a function of P)
A pump can be used with a tube to calculate the effective pumping speed at the end of the tube:

1 / S eff = 1 / C + 1 / S pump
Gas
Inlet
Q

Chamber @ pressure P1

Q
Tube of
Conductance
C

Pump with speed

Spump @ pressure P2

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Gas
Inlet

Ct=C1 + C2
Chamber @ pressure P1

2 Tubes of
Conductance
C1 and C2

Pump with speed

Spump @ pressure P2

Gas
Inlet
Q

1/Ct=1/C1 + 1/C2
Chamber @ pressure P1

2 Tubes of
Conductance
C1 and C2

Pump with speed

Spump @ pressure P2

ECE 6450 - Dr. Alan Doolittle

Conductance and Pumping Speed

Pump down time: (For Viscous Flow)
The pressure after a pump is turned on is:

P = Po e

St

Where P is pressure, Po is original pressure (for example 760 torr for atmospheric pressure), S is the pumping speed,
V is the volume of the chamber and t is time.
Thus, the time to reach a particular vacuum is:

t=

V Po
ln
S P

Example: How long does it take to pump down a 50 liter chamber from atmosphere (760 torr) to 60 mtorr directly
using a mechanical pump with a speed of 9 L/sec verses through a 0.5 diameter, 8 foot long tube using a pump.
Directly:

t=

Through Tube:
Seff =

1
1
C tubing

1
S

50L
760 torr
ln
= 52 seconds
9L/sec 0.06 torr
1

1
1
+
9 L / sec
(0.5x2.54)
x0.5(760 + 0.06 )
180

8 x12 * 2.54

9 L / sec

t=

50L
760 torr
ln
= 52 seconds
9L/sec 0.06 torr

In reality, the pumping speed of a pump and the conductance of the tube normally is not constant with pressure, resulting
in a significant increase in the pump down time. You can see this by noticing the Conductance at 60 mTorr is 0.05 L/S
While at 760 torr it is ~729 L/S. We can integrate or to simply get an estimate of the actual pump down time by breaking
the calculation up into smaller pressure steps: Ptop
Pbot
Ctubing
Sef f
Pump down Time in step
760
76
7.6
0.76
0.076

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76
7.6
0.76
0.076
0.06

802.7101
80.27101
8.027101
0.80271
0.130584

8.900211
8.092651
4.242878
0.736979
0.128717
Total:

12.93557
14.2264
27.13471
156.2178
91.82513
302.3396 sec or

5.038994 minutes

ECE 6450 - Dr. Alan Doolittle

Types of Pumps
1.) Rough/medium vacuum
a.) Piston pumps (not used much due to particle problems)
b.) Rotary vane pumps (majority of cheap applications)
c.) Dry pumps (no oil back streaming)
d.) Add a Roots blower (similar to a supercharger on a drag racer) Increases the pressure on the primary pumps inlet by
pre-compressing the gases. If ko is the compression ratio of the roots blower, Srb is the pumping pumping speed of the
RB, and Sp is the pumping speed of the pump, then the effective pumping speed of the combo is,

S eff =

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S rb S p k o
S rb + k o S p

ECE 6450 - Dr. Alan Doolittle

Types of Pumps
2.) High and Ultrahigh Vacuum
a.) Diffusion pump (not used much due to oil contamination)
b.) Turbopump (oil, grease and oil free lubrication of bearings)
c.) Cryopump (can be dangerous in certain processes)
d.) Ion pump (very clean but low pumping speed and capacity)
e.) Titanium Sublimation Pump (evaporate Titanium)

Georgia Tech

ECE 6450 - Dr. Alan Doolittle

Types of Pumps

Georgia Tech

ECE 6450 - Dr. Alan Doolittle

Plasmas
Consider the thermal energy required to break apart the nitrogen molecule. The bond energy is 9.7 eV =3kT/2 ==>
T~75,000 degrees C! This is not possible by thermal means, but is possible by hyper thermal processes like plasmas.
A plasma is a gaseous collection of ions, electrons, energetically excited molecules, and neutral gas species, normally
created by the application of electromagnetic fields.
Plasmas can be used to drive reactions that would otherwise be thermally prohibited.
Plasmas can be used to deposit, chemically etch or sputter materials
Many reactions can occur in a plasma. If e* is an excited electron in a plasma:
Dissociation:
e* + AB A + B + e
+
Atomic Ionization:
e* + A A + 2e
Molecular Ionization:
e* + AB AB+ + 2e
Atomic Excitation:
e* + A A* + e
Molecular Excitation:
e* + AB AB* + e
Most modern plasmas are generated by either a DC current flowing through the gas or a radio frequency (RF) field
exposed to the gas(RF plasmas do not require DC current flow, and thus, can be used to process insulating and
conducting materials)

Georgia Tech

ECE 6450 - Dr. Alan Doolittle

Types of Plasma Systems

Parallel Plate Systems
Advantages: Cheaper
Disadvantages: Lower plasma density, difficult to keep clean in production due to particulates flaking off the upper plate.

Every half cycle, the electric field accelerates electrons into the plates causing them to become negatively charged. The
atoms/molecules can not respond fast enough to the E-field to gain a net momentum. However, the induced negative
charge on the plates causes an electric field to be created that drifts ions out of the glow discharge region toward the
plates. By having plates with different capacitances (area changes or external capacitors) the voltage on the top plate can
be made to be different from the bottom plate resulting in a net movement of ions. Note all uncharged species simply
diffuse away from the glow discharge region where they are created.
Georgia Tech

ECE 6450 - Dr. Alan Doolittle

Types of Plasma Systems

Inductively Coupled Systems
Advantages: Higher plasma density (~10-50 x), easier to clean (low particulate), better uniformity over large areas.
Disadvantages: Nearly 3 time the cost of a comparable parallel plate system.

Optional Magnets

Electromagnetic fields are induced into the gas by one or more coils located on the periphery of the vacuum chamber.
Magnets may be used to enhance confinement of the plasma and control recombination (ions and electrons annihilating
each other) at the chamber walls.

Georgia Tech

ECE 6450 - Dr. Alan Doolittle

Examples of using Electric Fields for Enhanced Sidewall

Abruptness (Anisotropy) in a Plasma Etch System
Mask Material

Low Electric Field

High Electric Field
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ECE 6450 - Dr. Alan Doolittle

Other Details of Plasma Systems

The glow region contains many electrons, and thus is highly

conducting.==> Resistor Model element
The Sheaths have had their electrons stripped via the induced electric
field. Thus, only limited ionic conduction occurs, along with a
depletion region capacitance (this region is depleted of electrons).
The above lumped model results.
Note the frequency dependence of the plasma impedance.

Georgia Tech

ECE 6450 - Dr. Alan Doolittle

Other Details of Plasma Systems

Note also that at low frequencies, the ions are accelerated to higher energies (longer times) before the field reverses,
resulting in higher energy ions bombarding the surface.

Georgia Tech

ECE 6450 - Dr. Alan Doolittle

Georgia Tech

ECE 6450 - Dr. Alan Doolittle