Characteristics of magnetically driven shunting arc plasma for amorphous carbon film deposition

The deposition rate of amorphous carbon film is improved from 1 to 100 nm/min by magnetically driving the shunting arc which is a self-ignition-type pulsed metal/solid plasma source for plasma-based ion implantation and deposition (PBII&D). The plasma is accelerated along the carbon rails with an average velocity of 4 km/sec under a pressure ranging from 0.054 to 1.4 Pa, and goes out towards a target set at 40 mm apart from the muzzle. From the equation of motion, the carbon particle density between the rails is estimated to be 1.7 × 1015 m− 3. The carbon ion density around the target is obtained to be 1.7 × 1014 m− 3 using the measurement of the ion current into the target applied negative bias voltage. The deposition rate of amorphous carbon film increases from 1 to 100 nm/min by magnetically driving of the shunting plasma.