9712988 Hopwood This project seeks to develop a fundamental understanding of high-density plasmas composed of metal vapor and nitrogen, and investigates a plasma deposition system through modeling, plasma diagnostics, and thin film characterization. The modeling effort aims to provide both physical understanding and analytical tools for improving the deposition of TiN and TaN barrier layers utilized in ULSI circuits. Physical diagnostics of the density of plasma species will parallel the modeling phase. Gas phase titration, energy and mass spectroscopy, Langmuir probes and optical emission spectroscopy of the metal-N2 plasma are planned. Analysis of deposited film quality will provide correlation between plasma and film properties. %%% The project is multidisciplinary combining fundamental plasma science research with surface materials science synthesis and processing studies to address forefront issues in a topical area of strong technological relevance and high potential payoff. The research will contribute basic plasma and materials science knowledge at a fundamental level to several aspects of advanced electronic/photonic devices and integrated circuitry. An important feature of the program is the integration of research and education through the training of students in a fundamentally and technologically significant area. The impact of the research on the technological infrastructure is high since the project focuses at the crossroads of three critical areas in plasma science and engineering: high-density plasma sources, sputtering processes within a metal-nitride plasma chemistry environment, and deposition of thin film barrier layers for advanced microelectronics technology. To enhance an interest in fundamental research and plasma science, an undergraduate co-op student will work in concert with the PI and two graduate students. ***
