Flexible system for multiple plasma immersion ion implantation-deposition processes

The characteristics of the hardware and typical processes involved in multiple plasma immersion ion implantation-deposition, were presented. In this investigation the function of electrical phase shift was enhanced, and implantation could be performed either before or after the cathodic arc duration. The plasma immersion implanter was modified to perform flexible plasma based ion beam assisted deposition. Results indicated that by carefully selecting the experimental parameters like plasma density, pulse width, synchronization of the cathodic arc and sample bias pulses, pure deposition, pure implantation, and ion beam assisted deposition could be accomplished.