State of the Art in Industrial Magnetron Sputtering

Most targets, particularly in non-reactive sputtering, are operated in the dc-mode. The typical power supplies cover the range up to 1000 V and can provide a power between 5 and 120 kW. 

Deposition of insulating layers is solved by radio frequency (rf) sputtering. In industrial applications, however, cooling problems and inacceptable low deposition rates restrict the use of radiofrequency sputtering. Other methods have been developed to overcome these limitations. 

The equipment consists of two identical rectangular magnetrons mounted side by side in the sputtering chamber. The two magnetrons are connected with a midfrequency power supply of some ten kHz by a special interface. At any time, one of 

By the described mid-frequency periodic changes of cathode- and anode-function not only the arcing problem could be eliminated but also the problem of the disappearing anode was solved. Reactive Twin Mag sputtering delivers dense compound films with smooth surfaces and excellent optical and mechanical properties. 

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