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Ionized physical vapor deposition (IPVD): A review of technology and applications

High power pulsed magnetron sputtering (HPPMS) is an emerging technology that has gained substantial interest among academics and industrials alike. HPPMS, also known as HIPIMS (high power impulse ...

High power pulsed magnetron sputtering: A review on scientific and engineering state of the art

This updated version of the popular handbook further explains all aspects of physical vapor deposition (PVD) process technology from the characterizing and preparing the substrate material, through deposition processing and film characterization, to post-deposition processing. The emphasis of the new edition remains on the aspects of the process flow that are critical to economical deposition of films that can meet the required performance specifications, with additional information to support the original material. The book covers subjects seldom treated in the literature: substrate characterization, adhesion, cleaning and the processing. The book also covers the widely discussed subjects of vacuum technology and the fundamentals of individual deposition processes. However, the author uniquely relates these topics to the practical issues that arise in PVD processing, such as contamination control and film growth effects, which are also rarely discussed in the literature. In bringing these subjects together in one book, the reader can understand the interrelationship between various aspects of the film deposition processing and the resulting film properties. The author draws upon his long experience with developing PVD processes and troubleshooting the processes in the manufacturing environment, to provide useful hints for not only avoiding problems, but also for solving problems when they arise. He uses actual experiences, called 'war stories', to emphasize certain points. Special formatting of the text allows a reader who is already knowledgeable in the subject to scan through a section and find discussions that are of particular interest. The author has tried to make the subject index as useful as possible so that the reader can rapidly go to sections of particular interest. Extensive references allow the reader to pursue subjects in greater detail if desired. The book is intended to be both an introduction for those who are new to the field and a valuable resource to those already in the field. The discussion of transferring technology between R&D and manufacturing provided in Appendix 1, will be of special interest to the manager or engineer responsible for moving a PVD product and process from R&D into production. Appendix 2 has an extensive listing of periodical publications and professional societies that relate to PVD processing. The extensive Glossary of Terms and Acronyms provided in Appendix 3 will be of particular use to students and to those not fully conversant with the terminology of PVD processing or with the English language. This title is fully revised and updated to include the latest developments in PVD process technology. It includes 'War stories' drawn from the author's extensive experience emphasize important points in development and manufacturing. Appendices include listings of periodicals and professional societies, terms and acronyms, and material on transferring technology between R&D and manufacturing.

Handbook of physical vapor deposition (PVD) processing

The high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) discharge is a recent addition to plasma based sputtering technology. In HiPIMS, high power is applied to the magnetron target in unipolar pulse ...

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High power impulse magnetron sputtering discharge

Biaxial alignment in sputter deposited thin films

Control of reactive sputtering processes

High power pulsed magnetron sputtering (HPPMS) can generate a dense plasma with high target material ion content, using essentially conventional magnetron sputtering equipment. However, process arcs, which generate macroparticles and target damage, are not avoidable due especially to imperfections in vacuum system hardware and target materials. Arc handling is required for practical application of HPPMS. An experimental power supply capable of peak powers up to 3 MW, peak currents to 3000 A, at discharge voltages reaching 2 kV has been designed and built. It has voltage ring-up capability for pulse by pulse plasma ignition. This power supply technology enables the practical application of a whole range of sputtering processes, based on pulsing magnetrons operating at high peak powers. Power supply performance for typical pulses and for arc handling at peak currents into the kiloamp range is shown with temporal current and voltage characteristics of the discharge for typical pulses and for arcing operation.

Power supply with arc handling for high peak power magnetron sputtering

Pulsed plasmas for sputtering applications have increased in popularity in the past few years. Recently, a new pulsed plasma technique has been introduced to the sputtering world. High power pulsed magnetron sputtering (HPPMS) applies a very large power pulse (up to several megawatts) to the target in a short period of time, which results in a high degree of ionisation of the sputtered species. The ionised species can be used to improve the structure and properties of the deposited film. An experimental power supply was designed and built to learn more about HPPMS. It can produce pulses with peak powers of ≤3 MW with a pulse width of 100-150 μs. The repetition rate for the pulse is from single shot to 500 Hz, and the average delivered power is ≤20 kW. Evidence of the ionisation of the sputtered species is shown with time resolved optical spectroscopy of the plasma. The degree of ionisation is a function of the power. Deposition of very thin, very high density (2.7 g cm 3 ) carbon films by HPPMS is reported. An enabling feature of the power supply is that it can detect and suppress arcs. In addition, the pulsing power supply circuitry prevents the initiation of the arc state in normal operation. At the beginning of the pulse, it transitions directly from the glow to the highly ionised state without accessing the arc regime.

Pulsed plasmas for sputtering applications

Reactive sputtering when two reactive gases are used presents special problems. Both reactive gases affect the plasma conditions, which means that both affect common feedback control signals such as the cathode voltage and optical emission signals. Two reactive gases require that unique signals for each reactive gas be acquired and that control of each of the reactive gases is done separately. Modeling has confirmed that the way to control the process when two reactive gases are present is to produce two individual single-valued parameters. For this process, the single-valued parameters for the partial pressures of the reactive gases can be supplied from a mass spectrometer or from an optical emission spectrometer (looking at individual gas lines). The reactive sputtering of titanium in a combined oxygen/nitrogen atmosphere using partial pressure control of each reactive gas is shown. A combination where one of the gases is controlled in partial pressure mode and the other in a flow mode can lead to unstable operating conditions. To gain stability of the process when two reactive gases are used requires that the partial pressure of each gas be controlled individually.

Control of reactive sputtering process using two reactive gases

Reactive sputtering is becoming a more widely accepted practice for the deposition of many useful compound thin films. The use of closed-loop control for the deposition of such films is also increasing in popularity. The closed-loop process for forming binary compounds, typically oxides or nitrides, is conveniently accomplished using one of several feedback mechanisms coupled to a high-speed reactive gas control valve. Optical emission, target voltage and mass spectroscopy have all been successfully used to provide feedback for such processes when using a single reactive gas. The presence of two reactive gases in a reactive sputtering process adds significant complexity and presents the issue of competing reactions. Since both reactive gases can affect the state of the target surface and the plasma conditions, both also affect common feedback control signals such as the cathode voltage and optical emission. Modeling has shown that the way to control a two-gas reactive sputtering process is to produce individual control signals for each gas. In this study, partial pressure signals for each reactive gas were used to control the deposition of SiOxNy and TiOxNy compounds. The results of this study are presented here and shown to support the modeled behavior. The two-gas, closed-loop approach is then demonstrated to provide a stable, high rate solution for the deposition of these highly complex thin film materials.

D. J. Christie

Papers

Control of reactive sputtering processes

Power supply with arc handling for high peak power magnetron sputtering

Pulsed plasmas for sputtering applications

Control of reactive sputtering process using two reactive gases

Effective Closed-Loop Control for Reactive Sputtering Using Two Reactive Gases