Ionized physical vapor deposition (IPVD): Magnetron sputtering discharges

Over the past decade, various magnetron sputtering techniques have appeared that provide a high degree of ionization of the sputtered vapor. Here, ionized physical vapor deposition (IPVD) magnetron sputtering systems are reviewed. The application of a secondary discharge to a magnetron sputtering discharge, either an inductively coupled plasma source (ICP-MS) or a microwave amplified magnetron sputtering, is currently widely used. High power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) is a sputtering technique where a high density plasma is created by applying high power pulses at low frequency and low duty cycle to a magnetron sputtering device. Other methods such as the self-sustained sputtering (SSS), and the hollow cathode magnetron (HCM) are discussed as well. Essential to these methods is a high electron density which leads to a high degree of ionization of the sputtered vapor.