Unbalanced magnetic field configuration: plasma and film properties

摘要

Coatings of CrN, TiN, ZrN, TaN and NbN were deposited using an unbalanced magnetron sputtering system with two different degrees of unbalancing to investigate the effect of the degree of unbalancing on both plasma characteristics and film properties. The degree of unbalancing was determined by an extensive characterization of the magnetic field fluxes in the X-Z plane perpendicular to the target. Then, the plasma parameters, such as electron temperature, plasma potential, plasma density and ion current density, were obtained for each target and as a function of the unbalance coefficient. The film microstructure, hardness, corrosion and wear resistant were measured to determine the effect of the degree of unbalancing on these properties. The results suggested that the degree of unbalancing, through the variations induced in the ion bombardment and plasma ionization, had a strong influence on the film hardness, microstructure and preferred orientation.