Summary
We will explore how high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS) plasmas work and how their unique characteristics influence the thin films they produce. The course starts with a brief introduction to basic plasma and sheath physics, with emphasis on plasma sources for depositing plasma with significant metal ionization and gas activation. The operation of cathodic arcs and inductively coupled magnetron sputtering will be contrasted with the processes in conventional magnetron sputtering and HIPIMS. Those points are the foundation for understanding the time-dependent processes in pulsed magnetrons. Emphasis is put on the high pulsed power case, when significant ionization of the sputtered material occurs, leading to the new technology of HIPIMS. The role of self-sputtering and magnetic confinement is examined.
Topics
- Plasma species (chemistry)
- Ion energies
- Transport to the substrate
- Deposition Rates
- Commercial Equipment
- Applications of HIPIMS Plasmas
Instructor
Arutiun Ehiasarian
Head of National HIPIMS Technology Centre
Director of the Joint SHU-Fraunhofer IST HIPIMS Research Centre
Sheffield Hallam University, UK
