Ionization mechanism in the high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) discharge

Abstract

The ionization mechanism and the temporal behavior of the plasma parameters in a high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) discharge are investigated using a time dependent global (volume averaged) model. The metal ion fraction and the ionized flux fraction are shown to be very high, the sputtered metal is almost fully ionized. During the pulse on period electron impact ionization is the most effective process in creating metal ions while charge exchange becomes the dominant process in creating metal ions after the pulse is off.