3.155J/6.

152J Spring Term, 2005

Preview and preparation for Lecture 3, Feb.9, “Vacuum Systems, film growth”.

In this lecture we will review concepts of mean free path, flux, pressure, and gas kinetics
in order to understand the role of vacuum pumps and chamber pressure on the quality of
the thin films you will be depositing.

Concepts you are expected to be familiar with before class begins are listed below. (You
do not need to know how to derive these.) In this class you will learn how to use these
concepts in the context of microfabrication.

1. Flux, J, of particles: the number of particles flowing through a unit area per
unit time:
J = N /(area ¥ time) .

2. Concept of flux, J, of a species diffusing down the concentration gradient,

∂c/∂x (c = number /volume), in a solid. J is proportional to diffusion constant
D (cm2/s): †
∂c
J x = -D
∂x
Plummer sections 7.1 to 7.2.2 should get you up to speed.

3. Mean free path, l: the average distance a particle travels between collisions,
† its momentum.
i.e. events that change

4. Ideal gas law relating pressure, volume, temperature, and number of particles:
pV = NkB T (or pV = NRT )
or p = nkB T , i.e. n = N/V

Check your high school or freshman chemistry books

† †
† prepared)
(…and if you are well
5. Maxwell speed distribution describing the probability, P(v), of finding a
particle with a particular speed for given particle mass, m and temperature T.
È E ˘ È mv 2 ˘
P(v) µ v 2 expÍ- k ˙ = v 2 expÍ- ˙.
Î kB T ˚ Î 2k B T ˚
Note, `v may be different from vrms

Ohring, “Materials Science of Thin Films” (on class reading list), sec. 2.1 is
† source.
an adequate