Abstract
Previously, we reported that the increase in the rotational velocity of the Ti cathode reduces the number of macroparticle on the TiN film surface in the arc ion plating (AIP) process. In this study, we investigated the relation between the behaviors of cathode spot on the rotating cathode and the occurrence of macroparticles. In order to examine the effect of cathode spot on the surface structure of the cathode, the surface topographies of the Ti cathodes used to different extent were measured with a laser microscope. In addition, using a video tape recorded (VTR), the complicated behavior of cathode spots were observed during the AIP process as a function of the rotational velocity of the cathode target. The discontinuous and intermittent spots were found to jump, split and recombine with each other on the surface. With increasing rotational velocity, the spots tended to become stationary exhibiting circles. The increase in the rotational velocity seems to accelerate the drift velocity of the spots and to reduce the current density at microprotrusions with extremely high electric field densities, which may result in the reducing occurrence of macroparticles.
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