High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering

The industrial world is constantly searching for new products, new markets, and new technologies. With this in mind, the development of new thin-film, micro- or nanometric materials, deposited by various processes on substrates of sometimes complex nature and shape, confers new properties or functions and, consequently, significant added value. In the case of glass or steel, for example, these include photocatalytic properties for self-cleaning or pollution control, antibacterial properties, and corrosion protection properties.

To obtain these thin layers, several synthesis methods are commonly used: electrochemical deposition, immersion processes, physical vapor deposition (PVD) , chemical vapor deposition (CVD) [M 1 660] , and sol-gel processes. For manufacturers, the choice of process depends mainly on ease of use and implementation, compatibility of the process with the type of substrate (e.g., polymers), cost, environmental impact, and existing facilities. In this context, plasma technology is recognized as a "green" technology that allows for a high degree of control over the physicochemical properties of the deposited coatings (density, roughness, crystallinity, chemical composition, etc.).

When conventional direct current spraying processes are used, the majority of the sprayed particles remain broadly neutral, which prevents control of the energy and direction of the species involved in film growth. However, for many applications, it is desirable to control this aspect so that the species are deposited mainly on the substrate surface, thereby avoiding spraying on the reactor walls. In the case of integrated circuit manufacturing, for example, it is preferable to obtain a flow of particles from the plasma perpendicular to the substrate surface, which promotes the growth of structured films. Substrates with complex shapes are also coated uniformly thanks to the control of the direction, by a well-designed magnetic field, and the energy of the charged species. The quality of the films is also highly dependent on the...