High deposition rate symmetric magnet pack for high power pulsed magnetron sputtering

High power pulsed magnetron sputtering is a promising physical vapor deposition technique with two minor challenges that obstruct its broader implementation in industry and its use by researchers. The first challenge is the availability of low cost HPPMS power supplies with output power under 2kW. Such power supplies are suited for circular planar magnetrons with target diameters between 50mm to 150mm. The second challenge is the overall lower deposition rates of HPPMS when compared with direct current magnetron discharges. The “ε” magnet pack designed for a 100mm sputter magnetron which was developed by the Center for Plasma Material Interactions at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign in collaboration with Kurt J. Lesker Company was capable of producing twice higher deposition rates in HPPMS compared to a conventional magnet pack. The cylindrically symmetric “TriPack” magnet pack presented here was developed based on magnetic field design solutions from the “ε” magnet pack in order to keep the high deposition rates, but improve deposition uniformity, without the need for substrate rotation. The new cylindrically symmetric magnet pack for 100mm diameter targets, along with a specially designed cooling well provides stable operation at 2kW average power, even with low-temperature melting-point target materials. The deposition rates from the TriPack magnet pack is compared with a commercial conventional magnet pack for DC and HPPMS power supplies.