A sputtering apparatus has a vacuum chamber capable of arranging a target material and a substrate therein so as to face each other, a DC power supply capable of electrically being connected to the target material, and a pulsing unit pulsing electric current flowing in the target material from the DC power supply, in which plasma is generated in the vacuum chamber to form a thin film on the substrate, including an ammeter measuring electric current flowing in the pulsing unit from the DC power supply, a power supply controller performing feedback control of the DC power supply so that a current value measured by the ammeter becomes a prescribed value and a pulse controller indicating a pulse cycle shifted from a control cycle of the DC power supply by the power supply controller to the pulsing unit.

This invention relates to an arc-based method for the deposition of insulating layers and to an arc-based method for low-temperature coating processes, in which an electric arc discharge, ignited and applied on the surface of a target in an arc source, is simultaneously fed a direct current and a pulsed or alternating current. The invention further relates to an arc source in which the target is connected to a power supply unit that encompasses either a minimum of one pulsed high-current power supply 18, 18 and an additional power supply 13, 18, or a power supply 21, 21, 22 designed with switchable combinatorial circuitry.

A power supply device for plasma processing, wherein electric arcs may occur, comprises a power supply circuit for generating a voltage across output terminals, and a first switch connected between the power supply circuit and one of the output terminals. According to a first aspect the power supply device comprises a recovery energy circuit connected to the output terminals and to the power supply circuit. According to a second aspect the power supply device comprises an inductance circuit including an inductor and a second switch connected parallel to the inductor. According to a third aspect the power supply device comprises a controller for causing the power supply circuit and the first switch to be switched on and off. The controller is configured to determine a quenching time interval by means of a self-adaptive process. The quenching time interval defines the time interval during which, in an event of an arc, no voltage is generated across the output terminals.

A sputtering system and method are disclosed. The system includes first power source coupled to a first magnetron and an anode, and the first power source provides a first anode voltage that alternates between positive and negative during each of multiple cycles. The system also includes a second power source coupled to the second magnetron and the anode, and the second power source provides a second anode voltage that alternates between positive and negative during each of the multiple cycles. A controller of the system controls the first power source and the second power source to phase-synchronize the first anode voltage with the second anode voltage, so both, the first anode voltage and the second anode voltage, are simultaneously negative during a portion of each cycle and simultaneously positive relative to the first and second magnetrons during another portion of each cycle.

In a plasma enhanced physical vapor deposition of a material onto workpiece, a metal target faces the workpiece across a target-to-workpiece gap less than a diameter of the workpiece. A carrier gas is introduced into the chamber and gas pressure in the chamber is maintained above a threshold pressure at which mean free path is less than 5% of the gap. RF plasma source power from a VHF generator is applied to the target to generate a capacitively coupled plasma at the target, the VHF generator having a frequency exceeding 30 MHz. The plasma is extended across the gap to the workpiece by providing through the workpiece a first VHF ground return path at the frequency of the VHF generator.

A sputtering system and method are disclosed. The system includes a first power source that is configured to apply a first voltage at a first electrode that alternates between positive and negative relative to a second electrode during each of multiple cycles. A second power source is coupled to a third electrode and the second electrode, and the second power source is configured to apply a second voltage to the third electrode that alternates between positive and negative relative to the second electrode during each of the multiple cycles. A controller is configured to control the first power source and the second power source to phase-synchronize the first voltage with the second voltage, so both, the first voltage and the second voltage, are simultaneously negative during a portion of each cycle and simultaneously positive relative to the second electrode during another portion of each cycle.

Work piece processing is performed by pulsed discharges between an anode (2) and a magnetron sputtering cathode (1) in solid-gas plasmas using a chamber (2) containing the work piece (7). A system (12) maintains a vacuum in the chamber and another system (14) provides sputtering and reactive gases. The pulses are produced in a plasma pulser circuit including the anode and the cathode, the discharges creating gas and partially ionized solid plasma blobs (3) moving or spreading from a region at a surface of the cathode towards the work piece and the anode. A pulsed current comprising biasing pulses arises between the second electrodes. Biasing discharges are produced between the anode and the work piece when said plasma blobs have spread to regions at the anode and at the work piece so that the pulsed current is the current of these biasing discharges.

A method is provided for depositing a layer on a substrate inside a vacuum chamber by a magnetron sputtering device comprising at least two magnetron cathodes, each equipped with one target, at least one additional electrode, wherein a separate power supply unit is allocated to each magnetron cathode and wherein, in addition to at least one working gas, at least one reactive gas is introduced into the vacuum chamber. In a first phase, a pulsed negative direct current voltage is conducted from each power supply unit to the corresponding magnetron cathode, wherein the power supply units are operated in the push-pull mode. In a second phase, the pulsed direct current voltages provided by the power supply units are switched between the corresponding magnetron cathode and the additional electrode. An electric voltage is applied to the substrate or an electrode at the back of the substrate.

A plasma generator includes a chamber for confining a feed gas. An anode is positioned inside the chamber. A cathode assembly is positioned adjacent to the anode inside the chamber. A pulsed power supply comprising at least two solid state switches and having an output that is electrically connected between the anode and the cathode assembly generates voltage micropulses. A pulse width and a duty cycle of the voltage micropulses are generated using a voltage waveform comprising voltage oscillation having amplitudes and frequencies that generate a strongly ionized plasma.

Embodiments presented herein relate to a pulse control system for a substrate processing system. The pulse control system includes a power source, a system controller, and a pulse shape controller. The pulse shape controller is coupled to the power source and in communication with the system controller. The pulse shape controller includes a first switch assembly and a second switch assembly. The first switch assembly includes a first switch having a first end and a second end. The first switch is configurable between an open state and a closed state. The second switch assembly includes a second switch having a first end and a second end. The first switch is in the closed state and the second switch is in the open state. The first switch in the closed state is configured to allow a pulse supplied by the power source to transfer through the pulse shape controller.