Control and mass selection of C_(n)H_(m)~(+) fragments in an inductively coupled pulsed plasma

摘要

We report on a method of selecting C_(n)H_(m)~(+) fragments using a pulsed inductively coupled plasma (ICP) driven by a rf supply and a pulse control unit providing user-defined on/off regimes. Langmuir probe and mass-energy spectrometric data show that the characteristics of the plasma can be monitored so demonstrating that hydrocarbon clusters of different C:H ratios and abundances can be generated preferentially by using appropriately chosen on/off regimes. Postdeposition x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis underlines clearly the influence of the deposition regimes, on the structure and composition of C_(x)N_(y):H films grown via C_(n)H_(m)~(+) clusters generated using adamantane (C_(10)H_(16)) vapor in an argon/nitrogen mixture.