Enhancement of ionized metal flux fraction without compromising deposition rate in industrial magnetron sputtering
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2024 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Surface and Coatings Technology |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Web | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0257897224007734?via%3Dihub |
| Doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2024.131142 |
| Keywords | Titanium; Magnetron sputtering; Industry; LAD; Coatings; IPVD; HiPIMS |
| Description | In industrial magnetron sputtering processes, large DC-driven cathodes are commonly employed. This work reports on industrially compatible technology, which allows for the increase in ionized metal flux fraction on the substrate in a controlled manner without sacrificing the deposition rate. From the long arc cathode positioned on the one-hand side of the magnetron cathode, electrons are drawn towards the anode on the other side. This arrangement induces a large volume secondary discharge that extends along the entire length of the magnetron cathode, effectively ionizing sputtered species as they traverse this discharge towards the substrate. With this setup, while sputtering titanium in an argon atmosphere under industrial conditions, up to 28% of ionized metal flux fraction was achieved on the substrate position. This technology significantly improves the quality of the deposited coating, including hardness, Young’s modulus, roughness and fracture resistance, as shown in the TiN case study. |
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