The effect on the ion energy distribution function (IEDF) of plasma produced during a high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) discharge as the pulse conditions are varied is reported. Pressure was varied from 0.67–2.00 Pa (5–15 mTorr), positive kick pulses up to 200 V tested with a constant 4μs delay between negative and positive cycles. The results demonstrate that the resulting plasma during the positive cathode voltage reversal is the result of expansion through the largely neutral gas species between the end of the magnetic trap of the target and the workpiece. The plasma potential rises on similar time scale with the evolution of a narrow peak in the IEDF close to the applied bias. The peak of the distribution function remains narrow close to the applied bias irrespective of pulse length, and with only slight pressure dependence. One exception discovered is that the IEDF contains a broad high energy tail early in the kick pulse due to acceleration of ions present beyond the trap from the main pulse separate from the ionization front that follows.
Jeckell, Zachary, et al. "Time-resolved ion energy distribution functions during a HiPIMS discharge with cathode voltage reversal." Physica Scripta, vol. 98, no. 1, Dec. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1088/1402-4896/aca5c7
Jeckell, Zachary, Barlaz, David E., Houlahan, Thomas, Huber, Wolfgang, Haehnlein, Ian, Jurczyk, Brian, & Ruzic, David N. (2022). Time-resolved ion energy distribution functions during a HiPIMS discharge with cathode voltage reversal. Physica Scripta, 98(1). https://doi.org/10.1088/1402-4896/aca5c7
Jeckell, Zachary, Barlaz, David E., Houlahan, Thomas, et al., "Time-resolved ion energy distribution functions during a HiPIMS discharge with cathode voltage reversal," Physica Scripta 98, no. 1 (2022), https://doi.org/10.1088/1402-4896/aca5c7
@article{osti_2421634,
author = {Jeckell, Zachary and Barlaz, David E. and Houlahan, Thomas and Huber, Wolfgang and Haehnlein, Ian and Jurczyk, Brian and Ruzic, David N.},
title = {Time-resolved ion energy distribution functions during a HiPIMS discharge with cathode voltage reversal},
annote = {Abstract The effect on the ion energy distribution function (IEDF) of plasma produced during a high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) discharge as the pulse conditions are varied is reported. Pressure was varied from 0.67–2.00 Pa (5–15 mTorr), positive kick pulses up to 200 V tested with a constant 4μs delay between negative and positive cycles. The results demonstrate that the resulting plasma during the positive cathode voltage reversal is the result of expansion through the largely neutral gas species between the end of the magnetic trap of the target and the workpiece. The plasma potential rises on similar time scale with the evolution of a narrow peak in the IEDF close to the applied bias. The peak of the distribution function remains narrow close to the applied bias irrespective of pulse length, and with only slight pressure dependence. One exception discovered is that the IEDF contains a broad high energy tail early in the kick pulse due to acceleration of ions present beyond the trap from the main pulse separate from the ionization front that follows.},
doi = {10.1088/1402-4896/aca5c7},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/2421634},
journal = {Physica Scripta},
issn = {ISSN 0031-8949},
number = {1},
volume = {98},
place = {United States},
publisher = {IOP Publishing},
year = {2022},
month = {12}}