Effect of Voltage Pulse Width and Synchronized Substrate Bias in High-Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering of Zirconium Films

The Zr film microstructure is highly influenced by the energy of the plasma species during the deposition process. The influences of the discharge pulse width, which is the key factor affecting ionization of sputtered species in the high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) process, on the obtained microstructure of films is investigated in this research. The films deposited at different argon pressure and substrate biasing are compared. With keeping the same average HiPIMS power and duty cycle, the film growth rate of the Zr film decreases with increasing argon pressure and enhancing substrate biasing. In addition, the film growth rate decreases with the elongating HiPIMS pulse width. For the deposition at 1.2 Pa argon, extending the pulse width not only intensifies the ion flux toward the substrate but also increases the fraction of highly charged ions, which alter the microstructure of films from individual hexagonal prism columns into a tightly connected irregular column. Increasing film density leads to higher hardness. Sufficient synchronized negative substrate biasing and longer pulse width, which supports higher mobility of adatoms, causes the preferred orientation of hexagonal alpha-phase Zr films from (0 0 0 2) to (1 0 (1) over bar 1). Unlike the deposition at 1.2 Pa, highly charged ions are also found during the short HiPIMS pulse width at 0.8 Pa argon.

Automated summary

The microstructure of Zr film is influenced by the energy of plasma species, particularly by the discharge pulse width in HiPIMS process. Increasing argon pressure and substrate biasing decreases the film growth rate, while elongating the HiPIMS pulse width alters the microstructure of films. High charged ions are found during short HiPIMS pulse width at 0.8 Pa argon, leading to changes in film structure.