Model prediction and emprical confirmation of rate scaling with peak power for high power pulse magnetron sputtering (HPPMS) deposition of thin Ag films

The high power pulsed magnetron sputtering (HPPMS) technique is a novel process technology for large area magnetron sputtering. HPPMS allows for a high fraction of ionized target material at the workpiece and thus for growth conditions similar to pulsed laser deposition and filtered arc deposition. However, a reduction in deposition rate compared to DC sputtering has been observed for operation at the high peak target power densities associated with HPPMS. This reduction in deposition rate with increasing peak power has been observed for HPPMS deposition of thin silver films. The existence and nature of the deposition rate loss is predicted by a model previously proposed by Christie (ICMCTF, 2004). In this paper, model predictions are correlated to experimental results for HPPMS silver deposition. We report on the rate reduction observed empirically and its correlation to expectations based on the proposed rate loss model.