Compression and strong rarefaction in high power impulse magnetron sputtering discharges

Journal Article · Thu Nov 11 04:00:00 EST 2010 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3525986· OSTI ID:1001045

Horwat, David; Anders, Andre

Gas compression and strong rarefaction have been observed for high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS) discharges using a copper target in argon. Time-resolved ion saturation currents of 35 probes were simultaneously recorded for HIPIMS discharges operating far above the self-sputtering runaway threshold. The argon background pressure was a parameter for the evaluation of the spatial and temporal development of the plasma density distribution. The data can be interpreted by a massive onset of the sputtering flux (sputter wind) that causes a transient densification of the gas, followed by rarefaction and the replacement of gas plasma by the metal plasma of sustained self-sputtering. The plasma density pulse follows closely the power pulse at low pressure. At high pressure, the relatively remote probes recorded a density peak only after the discharge pulse, indicative for slow, diffusive ion transport.

• Research Organization: Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: Accelerator& Fusion Research Division
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-05CH11231
• OSTI ID: 1001045
• Report Number(s): LBNL-4109E
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ARGON
COMPRESSION
COPPER
DISTRIBUTION
EVALUATION
MAGNETRONS
PLASMA
PLASMA DENSITY
PROBES
SATURATION
SPUTTERING
TARGETS
TRANSIENTS
TRANSPORT
high power impulse magnetron sputtering
ion energy distribution functions
sputtering
rarefaction