| AVS 61st International Symposium & Exhibition | |
| Advanced Surface Engineering | Monday Sessions |
| Session SE+PS+TF-MoA |
| Session: | Pulsed Plasmas in Surface Engineering |
| Presenter: | Priya Raman, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign |
| Authors: | P. Raman, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign I.A. Shchelkanov, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign J. McLain, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign S. Armstrong, Kurt J. Lesker Company B. Zhang, DEXTER Magnetic Technologies M. Schilling, DEXTER Magnetic Technologies D.N. Ruzic, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
High Power Pulsed Magnetron Sputtering (HPPMS) is a type of magnetron sputtering technique where high peak power pulses reaching tens of kilowatts are applied to the sputter magnetron target keeping the average power equal to that of direct current magnetron discharges by using low duty cycles. Due to very high power densities, HPPMS discharge leads to high degree of ionization of the sputtered material. These ionized sputtered materials assist in film growth leading to more adhesive, dense, and smoother films. Therefore, HPPMS is considered an ideal candidate for the next generation magnetron sputtering systems, however these techniques suffer from low deposition rate due to “return effect” of the ionized sputter material [1]. One way to solve this problem is to have a magnetic field configuration that is optimized for HPPMS discharges. Magnetic pack design is critical as it helps in achieving full-face target erosion and higher deposition rate in HPPMS. Magnet pack design is generally selected by experimental observation. It has been confirmed from our previous work on HPPMS that a spiral-shaped magnetic field design on 14 inch (36 cm) diameter copper target was able to produce superior plasma uniformity on the substrate in addition to improved target utilization without the need for magnet rotation [2]. Commercial 4 inch (10cm) magnetron sputter guns function with a variety of power supplies like DC, Pulsed-DC, Modulated Pulsed Power Magnetron sputtering (MPP) and HPPMS. These 4 inch magnetron sputter guns typically have a conventional circular magnetic field configuration and suffer from low deposition rate in HPPMS discharges. To optimize the magnet field configuration in HPPMS for the 4 inch magnetron sputter gun, the spiral design from the 14 inch target was scaled down and modified to fit into 4 inch magnetron sputter gun. A new “ε“ design magnet pack with enhanced discharge parameters was developed by modifying the spiral magnet pack in COMSOL Multiphysics, which leads to higher deposition rate and better target utilization in HPPMS compared to the conventional magnet pack. The influence of “ε“ design magnet pack configuration on deposition rate, plasma parameters, and discharge stability with HPPMS (Huettinger’s HiPIMS), MPP(zPulser), DC and pulsed DC power supplies were investigated. The deposition rate for “ε” pack is 2.1±0.2 times the conventional pack for an average discharge power of 500W with zPulser power supply.
1. Papa F et al 2011 Thin Solid Films 520.5 1559-1563.
2. He Yu et al 2013 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol.22 045012.