Low-pressure high-current magnetron discharge with electron injection: From self-sputtering with multiply charged metal ions to non-sputtering with "pure" gas ions.

We report our experimental investigations of the effect on the ion composition, including the ion mass-to-charge composition, of electron injection into the plasma of a high-current pulsed magnetron discharge in the ultra-low operating pressure range. We show that changing the magnetron discharge voltage by injecting additional electrons with adjustable current allows implementation of two operating modes: one with a plasma in which metal ions dominate (including multiply charged ions for certain target materials with low sputtering yield), and the other a magnetron non-sputtering mode with plasma of only gaseous ions. • We report our experimental investigations of the effect on the ion composition of electron injection into the plasma of a high-current pulsed magnetron discharge in the ultra-low operating pressure range (down to 0.2 mTorr). • We show that changing the magnetron discharge voltage by injecting additional electrons with adjustable current allows realize two operating modes. • In self-sputtering mode a metal ions dominate (including multiply charged ions for certain target materials with low sputtering yield). • In non-sputtering mode only gaseous ions is dominate in high-current low-voltage magnetron discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Vacuum is the property of Pergamon Press - An Imprint of Elsevier Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)