Understanding the discharge current behavior in reactive high power impulse magnetron sputtering of oxides

The discharge current behavior in reactive high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) of Ti-O and Al-O is investigated. It is found that for both metals, the discharge peak current significantly increases in the oxide mode in contrast to the behavior in reactive direct current magnetron sputte...

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Published inJournal of applied physics Vol. 113; no. 13; p. 133302
Main Authors Aiempanakit, Montri, Aijaz, Asim, Lundin, Daniel, Helmersson, Ulf, Kubart, Tomáš
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published 07.04.2013
Subjects
Bombardment
Electron-Emission
Energy
Engineering Science with specialization in Electronics
Simulation
Teknisk fysik med inriktning mot elektronik
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Summary:The discharge current behavior in reactive high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) of Ti-O and Al-O is investigated. It is found that for both metals, the discharge peak current significantly increases in the oxide mode in contrast to the behavior in reactive direct current magnetron sputtering where the discharge current increases for Al but decreases for Ti when oxygen is introduced. In order to investigate the increase in the discharge current in HiPIMS-mode, the ionic contribution of the discharge in the oxide and metal mode is measured using time-resolved mass spectrometry. The energy distributions and time evolution are investigated during the pulse-on time as well as in the post-discharge. In the oxide mode, the discharge is dominated by ionized oxygen, which has been preferentially sputtered from the target surface. The ionized oxygen determines the discharge behavior in reactive HiPIMS.
ISSN:0021-8979
1089-7550
1089-7550
DOI:10.1063/1.4799199