Effects of RF pulsing and axial magnetic field onionized magnetron sputtering

To enhance the ionization level of I-PVD and reduce the coil voltage two approaches were tried and as a diagnostic, optical emission spectroscopy and impedance analysis of the plasma was done with a range of Ar pressures and RF power along with XRD analysis of deposited Ag films. RF sputtering power was pulsed with various on/off time scales to recover the ICP quenched by sputtered metals. This in average enhances the ionization of the sputtered atoms with 10 ms/10 ms and 100 ms/100ms pulse on/off time duration and gives higher (200) preferred orientation over (111) in deposited Ag films. Secondly, Small axial B field about 8G remarkably reduced RF coil sputtering and showed scaled relationship between RF power and magnetic field strength for optimal process condition. From OES of Ar0 and Ar+, wave-like dispersion structure appeared and reduced the coil voltage about 20% at very weak field strength of 8G. This should be studied further to have nay relation with low mode helicon wave launching.