Origin of Initial Current Peak in High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering and Verification by Non-Sputtering Discharge

Zhong-Zhen Wu*, Shu Xiao, Sui-Han Cui, Ricky K. Y. Fu, Xiu-Bo Tian, Paul K. Chu, Feng Pan

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Journal Publications and ReviewsRGC 21 - Publication in refereed journalpeer-review

    Abstract

    A non-sputtering discharge is utilized to verify the effect of replacement of gas ions by metallic ions and consequent decrease in the secondary electron emission coefficient in the discharge current curves in high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS). In the non-sputtering discharge involving hydrogen, replacement of ions is avoided while the rarefaction still contributes. The initial peak and ensuing decay disappear and all the discharge current curves show a similar feature as the HiPIMS discharge of materials with low sputtering yields such as carbon. The results demonstrate the key effect of ion replacement during sputtering.
    Original languageEnglish
    Article number75201
    JournalChinese Physics Letters
    Volume33
    Issue number7
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Jul 2016

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