Generating a highly ionized plasma in a plasma chamber

• Main Authors: Ozimek Pawel, Bugyi Rafal, Klimczak Andrzej
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 12.12.2017
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; CHEMISTRY; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATIONOR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY IONIMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS; ELECTRICITY; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION INGENERAL; METALLURGY; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THESURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION

A method of generating a highly ionized plasma in a plasma chamber. A neutral gas is provided to be ionized in the plasma chamber at pressure below 50 Pa. At least one high energy high power electrical pulse is supplied with power equal or larger than 100 kW and energy equal or larger than 10 J, to at least one magnetron cathode in connection with a target in the plasma chamber. A highly ionized plasma is produced directly from the neutral gas in a plasma volume such that the plasma volume cross section increases during a current rise period. Atoms are sputtered from the target with the highly ionized plasma. At least part of the sputtered atoms are ionized.