Time-Resolved Diagnostics of Dual High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering With Pulse Delays of 15 us and 500 us
Abstract
Time-resolved measurements have been performed during dual High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (dual-HiPIMS) with two cathodes in a closed magnetic field configuration. The effect of a delay between subsequent pulses on electron density, mean electron energy, and ion flux to the substrate was investigated by time-resolved diagnostic methods.
Two different delays of 15 mu s and 500 mu s between subsequent pulses were investigated. The dual-HiPIMS system, operated at a repetition frequency f = 100 Hz and duty cycle of 1 %, was equipped with different metallic targets (Ti, Cu).
It is shown that a delay between subsequent pulses influences the plasma parameters and can be used to control deposition processes. It was noted that target surfaces (alternately serving as a cathode/anode) are contaminated by sputtered material from the previous pulse which influences the time-evolution of the discharge parameters.