Ion formation in an argon and argon-oxygen gas mixture of a magnetron sputtering discharge

Abstract

Formation of singly and doubly charged Arq+ and Tiq+ (q = 1,2) and of molecular Ar, ArTi+, and Ti ions in a direct current magnetron sputtering discharge with a Ti cathode and argon as working gas was investigated with the help of energy-resolved mass spectrometry. Measured ion energy distributions consist of low-energy and high-energy components resembling different formation processes. Intensities of Ar and ArTi+ dimer ions strongly increase with increasing gas pressure. Addition of oxygen gas leads to the formation of positively charged O+, , and TiO+ and of negatively charged O− and ions.