TY - JOUR
T1 - The influence of operating parameters on pulsed D.C. magnetron sputtering plasma
AU - Karthikeyan, Sreejith
AU - Hill, Arthur E.
AU - Cowpe, John S.
AU - Pilkington, Richard D.
PY - 2010/11/9
Y1 - 2010/11/9
N2 - This paper describes the breakdown voltage characteristics in a pulsed D.C. magnetron sputtering system under varying conditions of frequency, current and pulse-off time. The behaviour of the breakdown voltage with pulsing frequency at different pressures and constant pulse-off time was recorded and revealed that the breakdown voltage decreased consistently as the frequency increased up to 70 kHz. Above this frequency, perturbation in the breakdown voltage was noted, possibly due to the rise in pre-breakdown current during the few microseconds of pulse-on time. This perturbation effect was no longer observed when the operating current was increased. The breakdown voltage was seen to decrease when the pulse-off time was increased while keeping the total period of the pulse constant.
AB - This paper describes the breakdown voltage characteristics in a pulsed D.C. magnetron sputtering system under varying conditions of frequency, current and pulse-off time. The behaviour of the breakdown voltage with pulsing frequency at different pressures and constant pulse-off time was recorded and revealed that the breakdown voltage decreased consistently as the frequency increased up to 70 kHz. Above this frequency, perturbation in the breakdown voltage was noted, possibly due to the rise in pre-breakdown current during the few microseconds of pulse-on time. This perturbation effect was no longer observed when the operating current was increased. The breakdown voltage was seen to decrease when the pulse-off time was increased while keeping the total period of the pulse constant.
KW - Argon metastable atoms
KW - Asymmetric bipolar pulsed magnetron sputtering
KW - Breakdown voltage with pulsing frequency
KW - Ion - induced electron emission
KW - PDMS
KW - Plasma-surface interaction
KW - Pulsed D.C. magnetron sputtering
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U2 - 10.1016/j.vacuum.2010.09.007
DO - 10.1016/j.vacuum.2010.09.007
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:78649632299
VL - 85
SP - 634
EP - 638
JO - Vacuum
JF - Vacuum
SN - 0042-207X
IS - 5
ER -