Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Rossnagel, S. M..
Fast, simple technique measures stresses in thin films. Sample disk bowed by stress into approximately spherical shape. Reflected image of disk magnified by amount related to curvature and, therefore, stress. Method requires sample substrate, such as cheap microscope cover slide, two mirrors, laser light beam, and screen.
Sputtering effects in discharge chambers of ion thrusters are lifetime limiting in basically two ways: (1) ion bombardment of critical thruster components at energies sufficient to cause sputtering removes significant quantities of material; enough to degrade operation through adverse dimensional changes or possibly lead to complete component failure, and (2) metals sputtered from these intensely bombarded components are deposited in other locations as thin films and subsequently flake or peel off; the flakes then lodge elsewhere in the discharge chamber with the possibility of providing conductive paths for short circuiting of thruster components such as the ion optics. This experimental work has concentrated in two areas. The first has been to operate thrusters for multi-hour periods and to observe and measure the films found inside the thruster. The second was to simulate the environment inside the discharge chamber of the thruster by means of a dual ion beam system. Here, films were sputter deposited in the presence of a second low energy bombarding beam to simulate film deposition on thruster interior surfaces that undergo simultaneous sputtering and deposition. Mo presents serious problems for use in a thruster as far as film deposition is concerned. Mo films were found to be in high stress, making them more likely to peel and flake.
A variation of Newton's rings experiment is proposed for measuring film stress. The procedure described, the geometrical optics method, is used to measure radii of curvature for a series of film depositions with Ta, Al, and Mo films. The method has a sensitivity of 1 x 10 to the 9th dyn/sq cm, corresponding to the practical radius limit of about 50 m, and a repeatability usually within five percent. For the purposes of comparison, radii are also measured by Newton's rings method and the Talysurf method; all results are found to be in general agreement. Measurement times are also compared: the geometrical optics method requires only 1/2-1 minute. It is concluded that the geometrical optics method provides an inexpensive, fast, and a reasonably correct technique with which to measure stresses in film.
It is pointed out that the development of surface topography along with enhanced surface and bulk diffusion processes accompanying ion bombardment have generated growing interest among users of ion beams and plasmas for thin film or material processing. Interest in these processes stems both from attempts to generate topographic changes for specific studies or applications and from the need to suppress or control undesirable changes. The present investigation provides a summary of the current status of impurity-induced texturing, with emphasis on recent developments. Particular attention is given to the texturing accompanying deposition of an impurity material onto a solid surface while simultaneously etching the surface with an ion beam. A description of experimental considerations is provided, and a thermal-diffusion model is discussed along with the development of sputter cones, and aspects of impact-enhanced surface diffusion.
Liquid-like properties have been observed on surface structures developed by means of ion beam microtexturing. The structures include cones, pyramids, or wavelike formations. The observed liquid-like effects are drips and ripples on the sides of cones, droplet formation, the apparent flow and coalescence of closely packed structures, wetting angle and other surface tension effects, and the bending of cones by additional heating. The bulk temperatures are in the range of 50-600 C. These effects are seen to some extent on Cu, Al, Au, Pb, and Ni substrates.
The activation energy for impurity atom (adatom) surface diffusion can be determined from the temperature dependence of the spacing of sputter cones. These cones are formed on the surface during sputtering while simultaneously adding impurities. The impurities form clusters by means of surface diffusion, and these clusters in turn initiate cone formation. Values are given for the surface diffusion activation energies for various materials on polycrystalline Cu, Al, Pb, Au, and Ni. The values for different impurity species on each of these substrates are approximately independent of impurity species within the experimental uncertainty, suggesting the absence of strong chemical bonding effects on the diffusion.