Ion energy distributions at substrate in bipolar HiPIMS: effect of positive pulse delay, length and amplitude

0534021 - FZÚ 2021 RIV GB eng J - Journal Article
Kozák, T. - Pajdarova, A.D. - Čada, Martin - Hubička, Zdeněk - Mareš, P. - Čapek, J.
Ion energy distributions at substrate in bipolar HiPIMS: effect of positive pulse delay, length and amplitude.
Plasma Sources Science & Technology. Roč. 29, č. 6 (2020), s. 1-10, č. článku 065003. ISSN 0963-0252. E-ISSN 1361-6595
R&D Projects: GA MPO FV30177
Institutional support: RVO:68378271
Keywords : HiPIMS * bipolar HiPIMS * positive pulse * plasma diagnostics * mass spectroscopy
OECD category: Fluids and plasma physics (including surface physics)
Impact factor: 3.584, year: 2020
Method of publishing: Limited access
https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6595/ab8fbb

A bipolar HiPIMS discharge with a rectangular positive voltage pulse (with controllable amplitude, delay after the main negative pulse and positive pulse length) was systematically investigated by mass spectroscopy. The time-averaged spectra of ions measured at the substrate position exhibit a prominent high-energy peak. It is shown that the position of the peak can be varied by the positive pulse amplitude, its magnitude scales with the pulse length and its width can be slightly influenced by the length of the delay interval. Measurements of the plasma potential at the mass spectrometer position and time-resolved mass spectroscopy clearly show that the high-energy peak is formed by ions accelerated by the elevated plasma potential during the positive pulse. In addition, fine details of the ion energy distribution functions related to the plasma potential transients at the start of the positive pulse are identified.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0312242