A Brief Look At Magnetron Sputter Deposition

Magnetron sputter deposition is an important PVD application in today’s biotech world.

Magnetron sputter deposition is a PVD process in which plasma is formed and positively charged ions and molecules from that plasma are then accelerated into an electrical field that is composed of numerous negatively charged electrodes known as targets. The positive ions are essentially accelerated by a variety of potentials that range from a couple hundred to thousands of electron volts. They then strike the negative electrode with a volatile force that dislodges and effects the atoms from the target. This results in a line-of-sight cosine distribution from the face of the target. This then condenses on surfaces that are placed within a close distance of the magnetron sputtering cathode.

Fabrication and Frequency

The targets are then fabricated from materials that the user wants to deposit on the surface of the component. These materials are then deposited using DC power and insulators in which they can be deposited through the use of a RF power supply. The most common frequency in sputter application is 13.56 MHz – within the RF spectrum. Furthermore, this frequency has been allocated to industrial applications.

Vacuum Deposition Within Magnetron Sputtering

Magnetron sputter deposition also utilizes vacuum deposition systems in that it utilizes a magnetic field to trap the electrons, which enhance the efficiency of the ionization process and allows the plasma to generate at subsequently lower pressures. This is important because it reduces the background gas within the growing film and the energy lost inside the sputtered atom through a variety of gas collisions.

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