Abstract
The influence of a static magnetic field (0–10 mT at the emission plane of the cathode) in random arc reactive physical vapour deposition (PVD) (TiN, CrN) and non-reactive PVD (titanium, chromium, copper, nickel) has been investigated using various cathode designs. The dominant effect of an increased magnetic field was a more confined arc trace. In non-reactive processes, detrimental selective cathode erosion was observed. In reactive processes, improved nitriding resulted. A distinct reduction in droplet emission was achieved only with a high melting nitride layer (TiN). Cathode design may assist in droplet reduction by further confinement of the arc trace. In all reactive processes, changes in layer microstructure were detected indicating a decrease in ion energy with increasing magnetic field. Surface roughness values comparable with those obtained in steered arc PVD can be achieved, using strong static magnetic fields combined with modified cathode design, if the process is run at a stabilized steady state nitrogen pressure of about 1 Pa from its very start.
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