The influence of the magnetic field on ion impact on the cathode of a sputtering magnetron discharge

Abstract

Monte Carlo simulations have been used to study the influence of the magnetic field on ion impact at the cathode surface of a sputtering magnetron discharge. The ion parameters (energy, incident angle at the cathode and transit time) have been investigated under four magnetic field strengths and two pressures (1 and 10 Pa). It has been confirmed that the magnetic field has little influence on ion motion. Also, it was found that the magnetic field's influences on ion parameters are given through its influence on electron motion, namely on the ionization site, which is most important in determining the ion energy and transit time. It is proposed that, taking into consideration both the ion energy and the transit time, the appropriate ionization site is the edge of the cathode fall region.

Gas Phase Synthesis of Multifunctional Fe‐Based Nanocubes

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A description of metal-vapour production in a hollow-cylindrical magnetron sputtering discharge

“…It is known that the sputtering coefficient Y b+ increases with the energy of ions impacting upon the cathode surface [11] and that the ion energy is dependent on the buffer-gas pressure [12], which increases as the pressure is reduced. So, one can get from equation ( 16) that, when the current density is fixed, the flow density of the sputtered metal atoms is higher at a lower buffer-gas pressure.…”

Effect of magnetic field on the formation of Cu nanoparticles during magnetron sputtering in the gas aggregation cluster source

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“…Thus, electrons emitted from the cathode surface experience in addition to the electric field force, a Lorentz force that triggers them to gyrate with cycloidal motion. The E B drift increases the electrons’ lifetime in the cathode dark space, enhancing the efficiency of the plasma ionization processes . Hence, similar to conventional magnetron sputtering, using stronger magnets increases electron confinement and is supposed to provide a higher number of sputtered atoms for NP growth .…”