Effects of plasma in nucleation process of thin film growth

Physical surface phenomena, which occur under pulse type plasma techniques, were investigated by using optical emission spectra from gas phase species. In order to extend the time scale, mercury was used. From the temperature dependence of emission intensity at the steady state, the condensate of mercury in plasma showed two-dimensional state above 310 K, and three-dimensional state below 310 K. In the transient state, time dependence of emission intensity showed ‘overshoot’ when the off-time period was longer than 64 s at 333 K, which were related to the transition from two-dimensional condensation to three-dimensional condensation in plasma. These results showed a proof that the duty cycle in the pulse plasma techniques changed the structure of the condensate.