AVS 50th International Symposium
    Manufacturing Science and Technology Tuesday Sessions
       Session MS-TuP

Paper MS-TuP2
A Novel Power Supply with Arc Handling for High Peak Power Magnetron Sputtering

Tuesday, November 4, 2003, 5:30 pm, Room Hall A-C

Session: Poster Session
Presenter: D.J. Christie, Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.
Authors: D.J. Christie, Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.
F. Tomasel, Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.
W.D. Sproul, Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.
D.C. Carter, Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.
Correspondent: Click to Email
The potential of high peak power magnetron sputtering has created growing interest, because it can generate a dense plasma with high target material ion content. At the required power densities, process arcs are not avoidable. Unless properly handled, arcs generate macro-particles and target damage, limiting the usefulness of the technique. However, coatings quite suitable for industrial applications may be applied if the pulsed supply incorporates arc handling. We have created such a power supply, capable of peak powers up to 3 mega-Watts and peak currents to 3000 A, at discharge voltages reaching 2 kV. It has voltage ring-up capability for pulse by pulse plasma ignition. This new power supply technology enables the practical application of a whole new range of sputtering processes, based on pulsing magnetrons to high peak powers.