This disclosure describes a non-dissipative snubber circuit configured to boost a voltage applied to a load after the load's impedance rises rapidly. The voltage boost can thereby cause more rapid current ramping after a decrease in power delivery to the load which results from the load impedance rise. In particular, the snubber can comprise a combination of a unidirectional switch, a voltage multiplier, and a current limiter. In some cases, these components can be a diode, voltage doubler, and an inductor, respectively.

This disclosure describes a non-dissipative snubber circuit configured to boost a voltage applied to a load after the load's impedance rises rapidly. The voltage boost can thereby cause more rapid current ramping after a decrease in power delivery to the load which results from the load impedance rise. In particular, the snubber can comprise a combination of a unidirectional switch, a voltage multiplier, and a current limiter. In some cases, these components can be a diode, voltage doubler, and an inductor, respectively.

A method for producing a transparent conductive film includes: forming a transparent conductive coating on at least one surface of an organic polymer film substrate in the presence of inert gas by RF superimposed DC sputtering deposition using an indium-based complex oxide target with a high horizontal magnetic field of 85 to 200 mT at a surface of the target in a roll-to-roll system, wherein the indium-based complex oxide target has a content of a tetravalent metal element oxide of 7 to 15% by weight as calculated by the formula {(the amount of the tetravalent metal element oxide)/(the amount of the tetravalent metal element oxide+the amount of indium oxide)}100(%), wherein the transparent conductive coating has a thickness in the range of 10 to 40 nm, and the transparent conductive coating has a specific resistance of 1.310.sup.4 to 2.810.sup.4 .Math.cm.

In a sputter device (1), power of a DC power source (20) is sequentially distributed and supplied in a time division pulse state to a plurality of sputter evaporation sources (4). A power source (10) provided to each of the sputter evaporation sources (4) supplies continuous power to each of the sputter evaporation sources (4). The sputter device (1) having the configuration requires no DC pulse power source to be provided to each of the sputter evaporation sources (4), which reduces the device cost.

This disclosure describes a non-dissipative snubber circuit configured to boost a voltage applied to a load after the load's impedance rises rapidly. The voltage boost can thereby cause more rapid current ramping after a decrease in power delivery to the load which results from the load impedance rise. In particular, the snubber can comprise a combination of a unidirectional switch, a voltage multiplier, and a current limiter. In some cases, these components can be a diode, voltage doubler, and an inductor, respectively.

A sputtering system that includes a sputtering chamber having a target material serving as a cathode, and an anode and a work piece. A direct current (DC) power supply supplies electrical power to the anode and the cathode sufficient to generate a plasma within the sputtering chamber. A detection module detects the occurrence of an arc in the sputtering chamber by monitoring an electrical characteristic of the plasma. In one embodiment the electrical characteristic monitored is the impedance of the plasma. In another embodiment the electrical characteristic is the conductance of the plasma.

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.

System and method of insulating film deposition. A sputter deposition chamber comprises a pair of targets made of the same insulating material. Each target is applied with a high frequency power signal concurrently. A phase adjusting unit is used to adjust the phase difference between the high frequency power signals supplied to the pair of targets to a predetermined value, thereby improving the in-plane thickness distribution of a resultant film. The predetermined value is target material specific.

A sputtering apparatus includes a chamber for containing a feed gas. An anode is positioned inside the chamber. A cathode assembly comprising target material is positioned adjacent to an anode inside the chamber. A magnet is positioned adjacent to cathode assembly. A platen that supports a substrate is positioned adjacent to the cathode assembly. An output of the power supply is electrically connected to the cathode assembly. The power supply generates a plurality of voltage pulse trains comprising at least a first and a second voltage pulse train. The first voltage pulse train generates a first discharge from the feed gas that causes sputtering of a first layer of target material having properties that are determined by at least one of a peak amplitude, a rise time, and a duration of pulses in the first voltage pulse train. The second voltage pulse train generates a second discharge from the feed gas that causes sputtering of a second layer of target material having properties that are determined by at least one of a peak amplitude, a rise time, and a duration of pulses in the second voltage pulse train.

A high-power pulsed magnetron sputtering process, wherein within a process chamber by means of an electrical energy source a sequence of complex discharge pulses is produced by applying an electrical voltage between an anode and a cathode in order to ionize a sputtering gas. The complex discharge pulse is applied for a complex pulse time. The cathode has a target comprising a material to be sputtered for the coating of a substrate, and the complex discharge pulse includes an electrical high-power sputtering pulse having a negative polarity with respect to the anode and being applied for a first pulse-time, the high-power sputtering pulse being followed by an electrical low-power charge cleaning pulse having a positive polarity with respect to the anode and being applied for a second pulse-time. The ratio .sub.1/.sub.2 of the first pulse-time (.sub.1) in proportion to the second pulse-time (.sub.2) is 0.5 at the most.