With an eye to high-vacuum magnetron discharge for thin-film technology, sputter ion pumps and vacuum gauges, reduction of the discharge pressure in the conventional planar magnetron is investigated. Several targets having configurations where the wall prevents plasma diffusion are investigated, but are found to be ineffective. Intensification of only the magnetic flux density is also ineffective. However, when both the discharge voltage and the magnetic flux density are intensified to several kV and several hundred mT, respectively, a high-vacuum planar magnetron discharge is sustained, certainly at 0.1 P
a, and even at pressures lower than 10
-3 P
a. Discharge intensity (discharge current I/ pressure P) vs magnetic flux density B with discharge voltage V as a parameter shows that this discharge requires B and V higher than about 0.1 T and 2 kV, respectively.
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