Novel high power impulse magnetron sputtering enhanced by an auxiliary electrical field
- College of Engineering and Technology, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040 (China)
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding and Joining, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China)
The high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS) technique is a novel highly ionized physical vapor deposition method with a high application potential. However, the electron utilization efficiency during sputtering is rather low and the metal particle ionization rate needs to be considerably improved to allow for a large-scale industrial application. Therefore, we enhanced the HIPIMS technique by simultaneously applying an electric field (EF-HIPIMS). The effect of the electric field on the discharge process was studied using a current sensor and an optical emission spectrometer. Furthermore, the spatial distribution of the electric potential and electric field during the EF-HIPIMS process was simulated using the ANSYS software. The results indicate that a higher electron utilization efficiency and a higher particle ionization rate could be achieved. The auxiliary anode obviously changed the distribution of the electric potential and the electric field in the discharge region, which increased the plasma density and enhanced the degree of ionization of the vanadium and argon gas. Vanadium films were deposited to further compare both techniques, and the morphology of the prepared films was investigated by scanning electron microscopy. The films showed a smaller crystal grain size and a denser growth structure when the electric field was applied during the discharge process.
- OSTI ID:
- 22597682
- Journal Information:
- Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 87, Issue 8; Other Information: (c) 2016 Author(s); Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0034-6748
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Influence of high power impulse magnetron sputtering plasma ionization on the microstructure of TiN thin films
High power impulse magnetron sputtering discharge
Related Subjects
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ANODES
ARGON
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTRONS
FILMS
GRAIN SIZE
IONIZATION
MAGNETRONS
PHYSICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
PLASMA DENSITY
PULSES
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
SPECTROMETERS
SPUTTERING
VANADIUM
VAPORS