Energy flux measurements in high power impulse magnetron sputtering

• The total energy flux in a high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) plasma has been measured using thermal probes. Radial flux (parallel to the magnetron surface) as well as axial flux (perpendicular to the magnetron surface) were measured at different positions, and resulting energy flux profiles for the region between the magnetron and the substrate are presented. It was found that the substrate heating is reduced in the HiPIMS process compared with conventional direct current magnetron sputtering (DCMS) at the same average power. On the other hand, the energy flux per deposited particle is higher for HiPIMS compared with DCMS, when taking into account the lower deposition rate for pulsed sputtering. This is most likely due to the highly energetic species present in the HiPIMS plasma. Furthermore, the heating due to the radial energy flux reached as much as 60% of the axial energy flux, which is likely a result of the anomalous transport of charged species present in the HiPIMS discharge. Finally, the experimental results were compared with theoretical calculations on energy flux of charged species and were found to be in good agreement.

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