Published September 30, 2013 | Version v1
Journal article

Drifting potential humps in ionization zones: The "propeller blades" of high power impulse magnetron sputtering

  • 1. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States)
  • 2. Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia)
  • 3. Montanuniversität Leoben, Franz-Josef-Strasse 18, 8700 Leoben (Austria)
  • 4. Centre for Quantum Technologies, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 2, 117543 Singapore (Singapore)

Description

Ion energy distribution functions measured for high power impulse magnetron sputtering show features, such as a broad peak at several 10 eV with an extended tail, as well as asymmetry with respect to E×B, where E and B are the local electric and magnetic field vectors, respectively. Here it is proposed that those features are due to the formation of a potential hump of several 10 V in each of the traveling ionization zones. Potential hump formation is associated with a negative-positive-negative space charge that naturally forms in ionization zones driven by energetic drifting electrons

Additional details

Identifiers

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Applied Physics Letters
Journal Volume
103
Journal Issue
14
Journal Page Range
p. 144103-144103.4
ISSN
0003-6951
CODEN
APPLAB

INIS

Country of Publication
United States
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
45038914
Subject category
S36: MATERIALS SCIENCE;
Descriptors DEI
ASYMMETRY; DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS; ELECTRON DRIFT; ENERGY SPECTRA; EV RANGE; IONIZATION; IONS; MAGNETIC FIELDS; MAGNETRONS; PEAKS; PLASMA; POTENTIALS; PROCESSING; PULSES; SPACE CHARGE; SPUTTERING; VECTORS; ZONES
Descriptors DEC
CHARGED PARTICLES; ELECTRON TUBES; ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT; ENERGY RANGE; EQUIPMENT; FUNCTIONS; MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT; MICROWAVE TUBES; SPECTRA; TENSORS

Optional Information

Notes
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