Rarefaction windows in a high-power impulse magnetron sputtering plasma

Journal Article · Sat Sep 21 04:00:00 EDT 2013 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4821514· OSTI ID:22218000

Palmucci, Maria; Britun, Nikolay; Konstantinidis, Stephanos ^[1]; Snyders, Rony ^[1]

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1. Chimie des Interactions Plasma-Surface (ChIPS), CIRMAP, Université de Mons, 23 Place du Parc, B-7000 Mons (Belgium)

The velocity distribution function of the sputtered particles in the direction parallel to the planar magnetron cathode is studied by spatially- and time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy in a short-duration (20 μs) high-power impulse magnetron sputtering discharge. The experimental evidence for the neutral and ionized sputtered particles to have a constant (saturated) velocity at the end of the plasma on-time is demonstrated. The velocity component parallel to the target surface reaches the values of about 5 km/s for Ti atoms and ions, which is higher that the values typically measured in the direct current sputtering discharges before. The results point out on the presence of a strong gas rarefaction significantly reducing the sputtered particles energy dissipation during a certain time interval at the end of the plasma pulse, referred to as “rarefaction window” in this work. The obtained results agree with and essentially clarify the dynamics of HiPIMS discharge studied during the plasma off-time previously in the work: N. Britun, Appl. Phys. Lett. 99, 131504 (2011)

• OSTI ID: 22218000
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 114; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CATHODES
COST
DIRECT CURRENT
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
ENERGY LOSSES
FLUORESCENCE SPECTROSCOPY
MAGNETRONS
PLASMA DENSITY
SPUTTERING
TIME RESOLUTION