Thin Zr Film Deposition Using a Refractory Anode Vacuum Arc Plasma Source

Thin Zr films were deposited using a vacuum arc with a refractory graphite anode and a water-cooled Zr cathode. The deposition rate was obtained from the film thickness, measured by profilometry, and time of exposure to the arc plasma. The deposition rate increased with the arc current, gap distance, and arcing time before substrate exposure to Zr plasma. The measured deposition rate reached 0.9 ~\mu \text{m} /min for an arc current of 225 A for time before substrate exposure of 90 s and the rate tends to about 1 ~\mu \text{m} /min with further this time.