Effect of Synthesis Conditions on Discharge Behavior of Magnetic Field Enhanced High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering

We reported the influence of the deposition conditions, including but not limited to the pressure, pulse frequency, bias and target voltages, on the evolution of discharge properties of magnetic field enhanced high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS).The results show that the coating conditions all have a major impact.For example, at a low target voltage, the average substrate ion current increased with the increasing pressure; at a high target voltage, the ion current changed in a mode of rapid increase and slow level-off.At a low bias voltage, a strong electron current wave-shape showed up only in pulse rising edge.The pulse frequency and target voltage little affected the ion current wave-shape except that at a high target voltage an ion current spike appeared in pulse descending edge.As the pulse width increased, the negative electron current and positive ion current increased.