Plasma-assisted deposition of thin films

We “engineer” plasmas with the goal to optimize them for surface engineering, including plasma-assisted deposition of thin films and coatings. Our research covers

  • fundamental plasma and plasma-surface interaction studies needed to design plasma sources,
  • diagnose these plasmas with state-of-the-art techniques, followed by
  • integration of these sources in deposition / etching / functionalization systems to obtain surfaces and thin film systems optimized for a specific application.

This implies an interdisciplinary approach: we cover the range from basic plasma physics, mechanical and electrical engineering, surface-related chemistry and modeling to application-relevant scaling. While our research traditionally is associated plasmas and processes of cathodic arcs and magnetron sputtering in its various incarnations, including high power impulse magnetron sputtering (also known as “HiPIMS”), we increasingly also consider alternative plasmas including those at atmospheric pressure.

 

Expertise

  • Thin film deposition by magnetron discharges (Magnetron Sputtering, High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HiPIMS), Reactive Sputtering)
  • Filtered Cathodic Arc Deposition
  • Plasma diagnostics (Optical Imaging, Optical Emission Spectroscopy, Mass/Charge Spectrometry)
  • Inorganic thin film and surface characterization (in close cooperation with other experts at the institute)
  • Plasma Modelling (in cooperation with internal and external experts)

Highlights

  • A review comparing cathodic arcs and high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS)

    A. Anders
    Surface and Coating Technology, 257, 308 (2014)
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2014.08.04

    High power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) combines advantages of magnetron sputtering with various forms of energetic deposition of films such as ion plating and cathodic arc plasma deposition. In this review, an overview is given on some historical developments and features of cathodic arc and HiPIMS plasmas, showing commonalities and differences. To limit the scope, emphasis is put on plasma properties, as opposed to surveying the vast literature on specific film materials and their properties.

  • A structure zone diagram including plasma-based deposition and ion etching

    A. Anders
    Thin Solid Films, 518 (15), 2010, 4087-4090
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsf.2009.10.145

    This work proposes an extended structure zone diagram that includes energetic deposition, characterized by a large flux of ions typical for deposition by filtered cathodic arcs and high power impulse magnetron sputtering.

  • Tutorial: Reactive High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (R-HiPIMS)

    A. Anders
    J. Appl. Phys. 121 (2017) 171101
    https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4978350

    In this highly cited Tutorial, High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HiPIMS) is explained as a coating technology that combines magnetron sputtering with pulsed power concepts. By applying power in pulses of high amplitude and a relatively low duty cycle, large fractions of sputtered atoms and near-target gases are ionized.  This tutorial also expands to “reactive” deposition, meaning that a “reactive” gas like oxygen or nitrogen is involved to produce oxide or nitride coatings.

  • Optimizing the deposition rate and ionized flux fraction by tuning the pulse length in high power impulse magnetron sputtering

    M. Rudolph, N. Brenning, M. A. Raadu, H. Hajihoseini, J. T. Gudmundsson, A. Anders, D. Lundin
    Plasma Sources Science and Technology, 29 (5), 2020, 05LT01
    https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6595/ab8175

    High power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) is an ionized physical vapor deposition technique. It typically has a lower deposition rate compared to direct current magnetron sputtering (dcMS). It is shown that by shortening the pulse length while keeping the peak discharge current constant, the deposition rate increases without compromising the ionized flux fraction.

  • Ion beam sputtering of silicon: Energy distributions of sputtered and scattered ions

    D. Kalanov, A. Anders, C. Bundesmann
    J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 37 (2019) 051507
    https://doi.org/10.1116/1.5114973

    Properties of the secondary particles were studied systematically for the bombardment of a Si-target in dependence on several process parameters. It is shown that particle properties depend mainly on the process geometry and primary ion species.