Laser-induced fluorescence monitoring of the gas phase in a glow discharge during reactive sputtering of vanadium

Processes in the gas phase of a glow discharge during diode and magnetron reactive sputtering of vanadium in an Ar–O2 atmosphere have been investigated by laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) as a function of the parameters of the glow discharge and the composition of the atmosphere. The intensity of the fluorescence spectra increased by 1.5–2.0 orders of magnitude in the magnetron sputtering process compared with that of diode sputtering. Under continuous sputtering conditions, the dependences of the intensities and relative compositions of the fluorescence spectra on the discharge parameters (discharge voltage and current) have been investigated. In pulsed mode of the glow discharge, the dynamics of changes in the spectra have been studied versus variations in the discharge duration and the lag time for recording the fluorescence signal. The dependence of the spectral line intensities on the partial pressure of oxygen has been found for vanadium and its oxide. The cathode surface at pressures of 0.03–0.04 Pa was shown to convert to the oxidized state.