Ionized particle transport in reactive HiPIMS discharge: correlation between the energy distribution functions of neutral and ionized atoms

• Published in: Plasma sources science & technology Vol. 30; no. 6; pp. 65016 - 65028
• Main Authors: El Farsy, A, Boivin, D, Noel, C, Hugon, R, Cuynet, S, Bougdira, J, de Poucques, L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: IOP Publishing 01.06.2021
• Subjects: HiPIMS; ion transport processes; Physics; Plasma Physics; R-HiPIMS; time-resolved mass spectrometry; R-HiPIMS; time-resolved mass spectrometry; HiPIMS; ion transport processes
• ISSN: 0963-0252; 1361-6595
• DOI: 10.1088/1361-6595/ac02b4

We investigated the transport titanium ions produced in a reactive high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) device used for TiN coating deposition. Time-resolved mass spectrometry measurements of ionized sputtered atoms correlated to time-resolved tuneable diode-laser induced fluorescence (TR-TDLIF) measurements of neutral sputtered atoms were used to understand transport features. Based on ion energy distributions of Ti + , we identified four populations of ions and explore their physical origins. The signals of all ion populations decrease strongly when only 1% N2 is added to the Ar/N2 gas mixture. Time resolved mass spectrometry confirms the result reported in previous work: the fast target poisoning when nitrogen is added in HiPIMS discharges. Based on the measured energy distribution functions of Ti ++ , N + , N2 + , and Ar + , we discuss the production of these ions in HiPIMS discharges. The temperature of thermalized sputtered neutral atoms determined by previous TR-TDLIF measurements evidences the physical origin of an ion population with energies lower than 4 eV. According to discharge pressure, cathode voltage, and ion type, we also discuss the physical origins of high-energy ions (>4 eV).