AVS 57th International Symposium & Exhibition
    Advanced Surface Engineering Monday Sessions
       Session SE+PS-MoA

Paper SE+PS-MoA8
New Development in Modulated Pulse Power Sputtering of Aluminum Oxide, Aluminum Nitride and Carbon Films

Monday, October 18, 2010, 4:20 pm, Room Cimmaron

Session: Pulsed Plasmas in Surface Engineering
Presenter: R. Chistyakov, Zond Inc
Authors: R. Chistyakov, Zond Inc
B. Abraham, Zpulser LLC
Correspondent: Click to Email
Modulated pulse power (MPP) sputtering is a versatile high power pulse magnetron sputtering technique in which there can be multiple voltage steps within a pulse. In this study, multiple voltage steps have high amplitude voltage oscillations. It was found that at certain level of voltage oscillations amplitude and frequency it is possible to sustain near arc free discharge in reactive gas environment. A special plasma generator with adjustable voltage oscillations amplitude and frequency was developed. The maximum output voltage is 1400 V. Aluminum oxide and aluminum nitride films have been reactively deposited with new approach in near arc free mode. The deposition rate, film structure, orientation, and mechanical properties were analyzed and measured, and the results of the film property measurements will be presented. Carbon films were sputtered with high average and peak power. It was found that with particular voltage pulse shapes there is no cones formation on the target surface during the deposition