Magnetic Field Effect on Pre-Sheath Dynamics in a High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HiPIMS) Discharge

摘要

The magnetic field effect on the pre-sheath dynamics in the high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) discharge has been studied. The measurements were carried out by a time resolved emissive probe in the saturated floating potential method, above the racetrack and parallel to the discharge centreline. It was observed that the potential drop and the width of potential drop across the bulk plasma increased with the magnetic field strength. An interesting feature observed was that the potential drop across the bulk plasma evolved in two phases, in the beginning of the discharge pulse (V_d) then again around 50 μs after the initiation of the discharge pulse (V_d).