Investigation of a high-current pulsed magnetron discharge initiated in the low-pressure diffuse arc plasma

Abstract

The paper presents the results of a study of a pulsed high-current magnetron discharge used for deposition of thin metallic films. The current-voltage characteristic of this type of discharge and its range of occurence have been investigated in relation to the magnetic field induction, the cathode material and the preionization plasma density. High-frequency oscillations of the voltage across the magnetron sputtering system caused by the repetitive variation in the conductance of the cathode-anode gap have been discovered. The achieved pulsed deposition rate for copper is 11 /spl mu/m/min.