Cylindric high power impulse magnetron sputtering source and its discharge characteristics

Xiao Shu; Wu Zhong-Zhen; Cui Sui-Han; Liu Liang-Liang; Zheng Bo-Cong; Lin Hai; Ricky K Y Fu; Tian Xiu-Bo; Pan Feng; Paul K Chu

doi:10.7498/aps.65.185202

Abstract

High power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) is a popular physical vapor deposition (PVD) technology because of the high ionization of the sputtering materials, large coating density, good adhesion, and other favorable properties. However, this technique suffers some disadvantages such as the small deposition rate induced by the high target potential, the metallic droplets produced by the unstable discharge, and different ionizations for different sputtering materials, thereby hampering wider acceptance by the industry. A cylindric HiPIMS source in which the discharge is restricted in the cylinder is described in this paper. By using this source, coatings can be deposited with 100% ions without metallic droplets arising from the unstable discharge, and the unionized sputtered atoms cannot be extracted by the extraction grid with negative potential. Electron oscillation and repetitive sputtering of the unionized atoms occur in the cylinder to enhance collision and ionization. Due to the enlarged discharge area by the cylinder internal surface comparing with the area of the ion outlet (end face of the cylinder), the sputtering ions converge from the inwall to the center of the cylinder target and form an enhanced flow to spray out from the source, which will improve the deposition rate. The structure and discharge characteristics of the novel HiPIMS source are investigated by simulation and experiments. Our results indicate that 8 magnets can provide the reasonable magnetic field and the highest target utilization rate. The distributions of electrons and ions in the target each consist of 8 petals in the optimized magnetic structure, and the highest plasma density happens near the target, which is above 1.31017 m-3. The discharge characteristics confirm that the cylindric sputtering source can be operated under HiPIMS conditions and the evolution of the target currents with target voltage exhibits I-V characteristics typical of HiPIMS. An obvious pre-ionization is observed on the discharge glow and discharge current curves when the extra direct current (DC) is added. The racetrack area is about 60.0% of the target surface. The ion current curves are similar to those of the target currents, but a 40 s delay and about one-tenth current value are observed compared with the target currents. The sputtering is improved by the extra DC, inducing the increased metallic ions and the opposite evolution of gas ions. The results suggest that the cylindric sputtering source can be effectively used to conduct HiPIMS and is a novel way to improve and promote the application of HiPIMS.

Keywords:

high power impulse magnetron sputtering /
cylindric sputtering source /
simulation /
discharge characteristics

Authors and contacts

1.
School of Advanced Materials, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China;
2.
Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China

Corresponding author: Wu Zhong-Zhen, wuzz@pkusz.edu.cn

Funds: Project supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51301004, U1330110), the Science and Technology Research Foundation of Shenzhen, China (Grant Nos. JCYJ20140903102215536, JCYJ20150828093127698), and the Applied Research Foundation of the City University of Hong Kong, China (Grant No. 9667122).

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[19]	Wu Z Z, Pan F, Xiao S 2014 China Patent 201410268695. 1 2014-06 (in Chinese) [吴忠振, 潘锋, 肖舒 2014 中国专利 201410268695. 1 2014-06]
[20]	Fu Q X 2013 M. S. Thesis (Xi'an: Xidian University) (in Chinese) [付强新 2013 硕士学位论文 (西安: 西安电子科技大学)]
[21]	Duan W Z 2010 M. S. Dissertation (Harbin: Harbin Institute of Technology) (in Chinese) [段伟赞 2010 硕士学位论文(哈尔滨: 哈尔滨工业大学)]
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[29]	Luo Q, Yang S, Cooke K E 2013 Surf. Coat. Technol. 236 13
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Cited By

[1]	Kouznetsov V, Mack K, Schneider J M, Helmersson U, Petrov I 1999 Surf. Coat. Technol. 122 290
[2]	Shimizu T, Villamayor M, Lundin D, Helmersson U 2016 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 49 065202
[3]	Yang Y, Zhou X, Liu J X, Anders A 2016 Appl. Phys. Lett. 108 034101
[4]	Anders A 2011 Surf. Coat. Technol. 205 S1
[5]	Wu Z Z, Tian X B, Pan F, Fu R K Y, Chu P K 2014 Acta Meta Sin. 10 1279 (in Chinese) [吴忠振, 田修波, 潘锋, Ricky K Y Fu, 朱剑豪 2014 金属学报 10 1279]
[6]	Samuelsson M, Lundin D, Jensen J, Raadu M A, Gudmundsson J T, Helmersson U 2010 Surf. Coat. Technol. 205 591
[7]	Sarakinos K, Alami J, Konstantinidis S 2010 Surf. Coat. Technol. 204 1661
[8]	Wei S, Tian X B, Gong C Z 2013 Vacuum 50 6 (in Chinese) [魏松, 田修波, 巩春志 2013 真空 50 6]
[9]	Lin J, Moore J J, Sproul W D, Mishra B, Rees J A, Wu Z 2009 Surf. Coat. Technol. 203 3676
[10]	Qin X, Ke P, Wang A, Kim K H 2013 Surf. Coat. Technol. 228 275
[11]	Holtzer N, Antonin O, Minea T, Marnieros S, Bouchier D 2014 Surf. Coat. Technol. 250 32
[12]	Olejnček J, Hubička Z, Kment 2013 Surf. Coat. Technol. 232 376
[13]	Oliveira J C, Fernandes F, Ferreira F, Cavaleiro A 2015 Surf. Coat. Technol. 264 140
[14]	Čapek J, Hla M, Zabeida O, Klemberg-Sapieha J E, Martinu L 2012 J. Appl. Phys. 111 023301
[15]	Aijaz A, Lundin D, Larsson P, Helmersson U 2010 Surf. Coat. Technol. 204 2165
[16]	Helmersson U 2011 Proceedings of 11th International Workshop on Plasma Based Ion Implantation Deposition Harbin, October 8-12, 2011 p21
[17]	Xu L, Wang S Q 2010 Vacuum 47 79 (in Chinese) [许丽, 王世庆 2010 真空 47 79]
[18]	Karpov D A 1997 Surf. Coat. Technol. 96 22
[19]	Wu Z Z, Pan F, Xiao S 2014 China Patent 201410268695. 1 2014-06 (in Chinese) [吴忠振, 潘锋, 肖舒 2014 中国专利 201410268695. 1 2014-06]
[20]	Fu Q X 2013 M. S. Thesis (Xi'an: Xidian University) (in Chinese) [付强新 2013 硕士学位论文 (西安: 西安电子科技大学)]
[21]	Duan W Z 2010 M. S. Dissertation (Harbin: Harbin Institute of Technology) (in Chinese) [段伟赞 2010 硕士学位论文(哈尔滨: 哈尔滨工业大学)]
[22]	Guan K Z, Li Y Q 1986 Vacuum 23 37 (in Chinese) [关奎之, 李云奇 1986 真空 23 37]
[23]	Wu Z Z, Tian X B, Pan F, Fu R K Y, Chu P K 2014 Acta Phys. Sin. 17 175201 (in Chinese) [吴忠振, 田修波, 潘锋, Ricky K Y Fu, 朱剑豪 2014 17 175201]
[24]	Ehiasarian A P 2010 Pure Appl. Chem. 82 1247
[25]	Anders A 2008 Appl. Phys. Lett. 92 201501
[26]	Wu Z Z, Xiao S, Ma Z Y, Cui S H, Ji S P, Tian X B, Fu R K Y, Chu P K, Pan F 2015 AIP Adv. 5 097178
[27]	Wu Z Z, Tian X B, Pan F, Fu R K Y, Chu P K 2014 Acta Phys. Sin. 18 185207 (in Chinese) [吴忠振, 田修波, 潘锋, Ricky K Y Fu, 朱剑豪 2014 18 185207]
[28]	Li C W 2014 Ph. D. Dissertation (Harbin: Harbin Institute of Technology) (in Chinese) [李春伟 2014 博士学位论文(哈尔滨: 哈尔滨工业大学)]
[29]	Luo Q, Yang S, Cooke K E 2013 Surf. Coat. Technol. 236 13
[30]	Paulitsch J, Schenkel M, Zufra T, Mayrhofer P H, Mnz W D 2010 Thin Solid Films 518 5558

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Vol. 65, Issue 18 - 2016-09-20

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