Introduction to the High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering
Dipl. Ing. Günter Mark (THE HIGH PULSE POWER COMPANY (MELEC GmbH T) GERMANY)
High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HIPIMS or HiPIMS, also known as high-power pulsed magnetron sputtering, HPPMS) is a method for physical vapor deposition of thin films which is based on magnetron sputter deposition. HIPIMS utilises extremely high power densities of the order of kW⋅cm−2 in short pulses (impulses) of tens of microseconds at low duty cycle (on/off time ratio) of < 10%. Distinguishing features of HIPIMS are a high degree of ionisation of the sputtered metal and a high rate of molecular gas dissociation which result in high density of deposited films (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-power_impulse_magnetron_sputtering).
MELEC GmbH develops and manufactures electrical pulse generators to produce pulsed plasmas in vacuum technology for the production of functional coating systems based on materials such as glass, steel, aluminum, plastics, semiconductor materials, etc...
In my talk will be presented:
- Basics of Sputtering applications - DC, RF, Pulse.
- Introduction to the HIPIMS.
- Sputtering processes: non reactive and reactive.
- HIPIMS applications.