I-V characteristics of magnetron with hot target sputtered in three-component gas mixture

Abstract

The discharge current-voltage characteristics of a dc magnetron with a single cold titanium target and a single hot titanium target in Ar + N2 + O2 environment were studied. Two series of experiments, in which the flow rates of nitrogen QN2 and oxygen Qo2 played different roles, were performed. In the first series, O2 was introduced into a mixture of Ar + N2 (QN2 = const and Qo2 = var). In the second one, N2 was introduced into a mixture of Ar + O2 (QN2 = const and Qo2 = var). It was found that the I-V characteristics of the studied sputtering instruments measured in the current density range of 10–200 mA/cm2 differ significantly. The I-V characteristics of a magnetron with a cold target can have one maximum or jump. The I-V characteristics of a magnetron with a hot target have two maxima and one minimum in one case, and in the other case, there is only one maximum.