Reactive sputter deposition of dielectric films
Reactive sputter deposition method and system are disclosed, in which a catalyst gas, such as water vapor, is used to increase the overall deposition rate substantially without compromising formation of a dielectric compound layer and its optical transmission. Addition to the sputtering or reactive gas of the catalyst gas can result in an increase of a deposition rate of the dielectric oxide film substantially without increasing an optical absorption of the film.
1. A method, comprising:
supplying a reactive gas to a reactive gas source that is inside a chamber,
wherein the reactive gas source is a plasma-activated reactive gas source that is inside the chamber;
forming a silicon dioxide layer on a substrate by releasing, from the plasma-activated reactive gas source, the reactive gas into the chamber in a manner that causes the reactive gas to react with silicon atoms; and
adding a catalyst to the chamber in a manner that increases a deposition rate of the silicon dioxide layer without impacting optical absorption spectra of deposited silicon dioxide film.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
loading the substrate into a substrate holder before the silicon dioxide layer is formed on the substrate.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
activating a vacuum pump that that pumps out air from the chamber.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
injecting a sputtering gas, via a sputtering gas inlet, to a pre-defined pressure within the chamber.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
applying a voltage to one or more cathode targets in a manner that causes the silicon atoms to move from the one or more cathode targets towards the substrate and adhere to the substrate.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reactive gas comprises oxygen.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reactive gas reacts with the silicon atoms when the silicon atoms are adhered to the substrate.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reactive gas reacts with the silicon atoms in a gas phase between one or more cathode targets and the substrate.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst is water vapor.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst is added via a water vapor inlet.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst is added via a needle valve.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst is added at partial pressure levels of between 5*10 −6 Torr and 5*10 −4 Torr.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst is added at partial pressure levels of between 1*10 −5 Torr and 5*10 −5 Torr.
14. A method, comprising:
releasing, from a reactive gas source, a reactive gas into a chamber,
wherein the reactive gas source is a plasma-activated reactive gas source that is inside the chamber;
adding a catalyst to the chamber; and
applying a voltage at a cathode target in a manner that forms a silicon dioxide film on a substrate by causing silicon atoms of the cathode target to react with the reactive gas and the catalyst.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
pumping air out from the chamber.
16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
providing a sputtering gas into the chamber,
wherein the voltage ionizes the sputtering gas and causes argon ions to hit the cathode target.
17. The method of claim 14 ,
wherein the catalyst comprises water vapor, and
wherein the water vapor is added by feeding oxygen gas through a water bubbler.
18. A method, comprising:
providing, from a plasma-activated reactive gas source that is inside a chamber, oxygen into the chamber; and
adding water vapor to the chamber in a manner that increases a deposition rate of a silicon dioxide layer without affecting ultraviolet optical transmission of the silicon dioxide layer.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the water vapor is added using a partial pressure range of between 1*10 −5 Torr and 5*10 −5 Torr.
20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reactive gas is supplied from outside the chamber to the reactive gas source.