Foundations of physical vapor deposition with plasma assistance

Physical vapor deposition (PVD) refers to the removal of atoms from a solid or a liquid by physical means, followed by deposition of those atoms on a nearby surface to form a thin film or coating. Various approaches and techniques are applied to release the atoms including thermal evaporation, electron beam evaporation, ion-driven sputtering, laser ablation, and cathodic arc-based emission. Some of the approaches are based on a plasma discharge, while in other cases the atoms composing the vapor are ionized either due to the release of the film-forming species or they are ionized intentionally afterward. Here, a brief overview of the various PVD techniques is given, while the emphasis is on sputtering, which is dominated by magnetron sputtering, the most widely used technique for deposition of both metallic and compound thin films. The advantages and drawbacks of the various techniques are discussed and compared.

Automated summary

Physical vapor deposition is a method that removes atoms from a solid or liquid and deposits them on a nearby surface to form a thin film or coating. Various techniques are used to release the atoms, with magnetron sputtering being the most widely used technique. This article provides a brief overview of different PVD techniques, focusing on magnetron sputtering, and discusses and compares the advantages and drawbacks of each technique.