Discharge current modes of high power impulse magnetron sputtering

Based on the production and disappearance of ions and electrons in the high power impulse magnetron sputtering plasma near the target, the expression of the discharge current is derived. Depending on the slope, six possible modes are deduced for the discharge current and the feasibility of each mode...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Zhongzhen Wu, Shu Xiao, Zhengyong Ma, Suihan Cui, Shunping Ji, Xiubo Tian, Ricky K. Y. Fu, Paul K. Chu, Feng Pan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AIP Publishing LLC 2015-09-01
Series:AIP Advances
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4932135
Description
Summary:Based on the production and disappearance of ions and electrons in the high power impulse magnetron sputtering plasma near the target, the expression of the discharge current is derived. Depending on the slope, six possible modes are deduced for the discharge current and the feasibility of each mode is discussed. The discharge parameters and target properties are simplified into the discharge voltage, sputtering yield, and ionization energy which mainly affect the discharge plasma. The relationship between these factors and the discharge current modes is also investigated.
ISSN:2158-3226