Ion composition produced by high power impulse magnetron sputtering discharges near the substrate

Journal Article · Wed Oct 15 04:00:00 EDT 2008 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3000446· OSTI ID:21185865

Ehiasarian, A P; Vetushka, A; Hecimovic, A ^[1]; Konstantinidis, S ^[2]

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1. Materials and Engineering Research Institute, Sheffield Hallam University, Howard Street, Sheffield S1 1WB (United Kingdom)
2. Materia Nova, Avenue Copernic 1, 7000 Mons (Belgium)

Plasma composition near the substrate was investigated in a high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS) discharge using Langmuir probe analysis, mass spectroscopy, and atomic absorption spectroscopy. The HIPIMS discharge was operated in nonreactive Ar atmosphere at a pressure of 2.66 Pa and the magnetron cathode was furnished with Ti target. Plasma density, metal ion-to-neutral ratio, and gas ion-to-metal ion ratio were studied as a function of discharge current. At peak discharge current densities of {approx}1 A cm{sup -2}, the results show that a dense plasma (n{sub e}{approx}10{sup 18} m{sup -3}) expanded from the target toward the substrate and lasted more than 330 {mu}s after the supplied power was turned off. The shape of the time-averaged ion energy distribution function of sputtered material exhibited a transition from Thompson to Maxwellian distribution, indicating efficient energy transfer in the discharge. The metal content in the plasma monotonically increased with discharge current and the metal ion-to-neutral ratio reached approximately 1:1 in the postdischarge plasma at peak current density of 5 A cm{sup -2}.

• OSTI ID: 21185865
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 104; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
CATHODES
CURRENT DENSITY
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ENERGY SPECTRA
ENERGY TRANSFER
IONS
LANGMUIR PROBE
MAGNETRONS
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
METALS
PLASMA
PLASMA DENSITY
PULSES
SPUTTERING
SUBSTRATES