Host: The Japan Society of Vacuum and Surface Science
We have reported a high power pulsed magnetron sputtering (HPPMS) system which equipped the third electrode to control the plasma potential positively. It enabled the acceleration of the generated ions within the plasma the to grounded substrate, by which the metal films with a flat surface and dense structure could be obtained. However, the third electrode had to accept the large current, and the cooling of it was considered to be favorable for the stable operation. In this study, we developed the dual cathode HPPMS apparatus. We applied the pulse powers to these cathodes with half-cycle differences, and the cathode voltage during the rest of the period was kept positive. By this, we expect the positive plasma potential throughout the period and the proper cooling of both electrodes (cathodes). In the presentation, the fundamental discharge properties will be reported.
