Rotating cylindrical magnetron sputtering: Simulation of the reactive process

Abstract

A rotating cylindrical magnetron consists of a cylindrical tube, functioning as the cathode, which rotates around a stationary magnet assembly. In stationary mode, the cylindrical magnetron behaves similar to a planar magnetron with respect to the influence of reactive gas addition to the plasma. However, the transition from metallic mode to poisoned mode and vice versa depends on the rotation speed. An existing model has been modified to simulate the influence of target rotation on the well known hysteresis behavior during reactive magnetron sputtering. The model shows that the existing poisoning mechanisms, i.e., chemisorption, direct reactive ion implantation and knock on implantation, are insufficient to describe the poisoning behavior of the rotating target. A better description of the process is only possible by including the deposition of sputtered material on the target.

Angular-resolved energy flux measurements of a dc- and HIPIMS-powered rotating cylindrical magnetron in reactive and non-reactive atmosphere

“…Furthermore, rotating cylindrical magnetrons have proven their worth in research, as to exhibit certain fundamental effects in the magnetron sputtering process (e.g. the influence of redeposition on the behavior in reactive sputtering), which would not have been possible for a planar magnetron [4][5][6].…”

Sputter yield amplification by tungsten doping of Al2O3 employing reactive serial co-sputtering: process characteristics and resulting film properties

“…It has been shown by Depla et al [15] that in a reactive sputtering process from a pure rotating Al target the transition between the metallic and compound target surface is affected by the rotation speed of the cathode. Rate laws under non-equilibrium conditions have to be considered in this case [22] as well as a realistic description of the oxidized target surface, where implantation plays an important role [17]. Developing an atomistic understanding of this process is challenging and is beyond the scope of this work.…”

Modeling target erosion during reactive sputtering

“…Its behavior as function of the process parameters is already frequently studied as well experimentally as by modeling [11]. However, studies of the influence of the redeposition fraction on the reactive sputter process are limited [9,12]. Here, this influence will be studied by modeling the process and it will be shown how it impacts on the racetrack and the sputter profile.…”

“…The first researchers who included the process of redeposition in a reactive sputter model were Depla et al [9]. With his model RSD2009 he investigated the importance of redeposition for a rotatable cylindrical DC magnetron.…”

“…In our perspective of modeling [8,9], three pathways of compound formation on the target are considered. Firstly, reactive gas molecules can chemisorbed on non-reacted target material.…”