Effect of magnetic field arrangement of facing targets sputtering (FTS) system on controlling plasma confinement

Abstract

Conventional sputtering method uses a single cathode with a permanent magnet. Facing targets sputtering (FTS) methods consists of two cathodes. Because of a unique structure, FTS can prepare high quality films with low temperature and low plasma damage. During the film sputtering process, density and confinement of discharged plasma depend on the arrangement of a permanent magnet in the cathode. In this study, we designed two types of permanent magnet arrangements in the FTS system and the designed permanent magnet was inserted into two cathodes in the FTS system. The system was operated in different permanent magnet conditions, and their discharge voltage and properties of as-grown films were recorded. In the designed FTS, compared to a conventional magnetron sputtering method, the substrate temperature increased to a value under 80 °C, which is relatively low, even though the films' sputtering process was completed. © 2020 by the authors.