High power fast pulsed magnetron discharges

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel pulsed magnetron discharge method that enhances thin film deposition quality by achieving high ionization, stability, and controllability through microsecond pulse operation, suitable for various pressures.

Contribution

It introduces a high power, microsecond-range pulsed magnetron discharge technique with improved ionization, stability, and operational flexibility for thin film deposition.

Findings

Achieved high cathode current densities (1-20 A/cm2).

Operated over a large pressure range (3-300 mTorr).

Demonstrated stable, arc-free pulsed discharges with high ion-to-neutral flux ratio.

Abstract

In order to improve the quality of thin film deposition by magnetron discharges, particularly by an effective ionization of the sputtered vapor, we developed an ionized physical vapor deposition method based on pre-ionized pulsed magnetron discharges operating in microsecond range (1-50 microseconds) leading to a lower breakdown delay, short fall time of the pulsed magnetron current, lower than one microsecond, a high ion-to-neutral flux ratio at the substrate, an arc free regime and good stability with very large instantaneously power.The transition to the self-sputtering regime, the reactive operation mode and the ion transport to the substrate can be modulated by the current pulse shape and duration. High cathode current densities (1-20 A/cm2) are obtained and large pressure range operation (3-300 mTorr) is demonstrated.