AVS 52nd International Symposium
    Advanced Surface Engineering Tuesday Sessions
       Session SE-TuP

Paper SE-TuP1
HPPMS Growth of High Sputtering Yield Metallic Films

Tuesday, November 1, 2005, 4:00 pm, Room Exhibit Hall C&D

Session: Advanced Surface Engineering Poster Session
Presenter: D.M. Mihut, University of Nebraska
Authors: S.L. Rohde, University of Nebraska
D.J. Christie, Advanced Energy
S. Sevvana, University of Nebraska
S. Chennadi, University of Nebraska
D.M. Mihut, University of Nebraska
J. Li, University of Nebraska
Correspondent: Click to Email
Ionization levels as high as 70-90% have been reported using High-Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HPIMS),also know as HPPMS, as compared with 5-10% ionization typical in conventional dc magnetron sputtering. Unfortunately, the overall deposition rates observed in most HPPMS studies is significantly lower than (~30%) for conventional dc magnetron sputtering. In the present study, the deposition rate of HPPMS films has been studied as a function of the impulse voltage (or charge voltage). The studies have been carried out for both high sputtering yield metals including Al and Cu, as well as low sputtering yield compounds, such as CrB@sub 2@. While the overall deposition rate increases with increasing impulse voltage or pulse power; this relationship does not follow the same linear relationship observed for dc sputtering. Additionally, under specific conditions it has been shown that dynamic deposition rate [nm/(watt*s)] can exceed that obtained using comparable dc power levels. This trend is observed only for materials with very high sputtering yields, but in all cases there are distinct changes in film properties, such as texture, surface roughness and residual stress, as a function of impulse voltage or power. Other variables considered include: substrate bias, supplemental discharge confinement and angle of inclination. Discussed are some of the implications of and possible explanations for this variation in dynamic deposition rate, making it possible to envision applications were HPPMS techniques might have significant advantages over conventional magnetron sputtering.