Linear magnetron HiPIMS high deposition rate magnet pack

High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HiPIMS) or High Power Pulsed Magnetron Sputtering (HPPMS) is a promising magnetron sputtering technique for ionized physical vapor deposition (iPVD), with industrial implementation hindered by low deposition rates in non-reactive HiPIMS. Because HiPIMS is currently of low interest in high volume manufacturing where deposition rates should be high, there is a demand for a solution to the low deposition rate problem, scalable to any desired length. To increase the deposition rate, a magnet pack behind a linear magnetron target is altered, and the new magnetic field is designed to allow for an increased ion flux to the substrate. The modeled magnet pack is manufactured and named the linear tripack magnet pack. Deposition rate is discussed for both DCMS and HiPIMS, using both a standard linear magnet pack and the linear tripack magnet pack in non-reactive HiPIMS. Observed deposition rates for the linear tripack magnet pack are found to be equal to or greater than the DC standard magnet pack at 1.5 kW and copper ionized flux fraction measurements were found to be as high as 35% at the substrate for the linear tripack magnet pack at 3.2 kW. Electron temperature and electron density measurements are taken and discussed.