HIPIMS Coating Deposition Rate and Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing PVD methods, such as reactive magnetron sputtering and dual magnetron sputtering, face challenges with hysteresis effects and low deposition rates when depositing hard coatings, particularly for mixed metal oxides, nitrides, and carbides, requiring complex feedback systems for reactive gas control and resulting in unstable processes and reduced deposition efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The method employs High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HIPIMS) with a gas mixture of argon and a reactive gas at high peak pulse power and low total pressure, maintaining the target surface in a metallic state to achieve stoichiometric crystalline coatings without hysteresis, enabling higher deposition rates and eliminating the need for partial reactive gas pressure feedback systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If reactive magnetron sputtering is used to deposit hard coatings, then the desired compound coatings are achieved, but hysteresis effects occur making the process unstable and deposition rate decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies pulsed DC power supply to the magnetron sputtering process, creating periodic on/off cycles of the sputtering discharge. This periodic action prevents the target surface from becoming fully covered by reactive gas layers, maintaining metallic surface areas that provide stable electron emission and avoid hysteresis effects, while still allowing compound coating deposition during the pulse periods
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts the reactive gas partial pressure and pulse parameters to maintain an optimal balance between compound formation and target surface reactivity. By controlling the duty cycle and power levels, the system adapts to prevent excessive reacted layer buildup, ensuring stable process operation without requiring complex feedback systems
2Reliability
If dual magnetron sputtering with pulsed DC power is used to avoid thick reacted layers, then process stability improves, but low sputtering yield from reacted target surfaces remains and complex feedback systems are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the need for complex partial reactive gas pressure feedback systems by using pulsed DC power supply that inherently prevents hysteresis effects. The periodic pulsing mechanism itself provides the stability control, removing the requirement for additional feedback control systems while maintaining process reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The pulsed DC power supply system self-regulates the sputtering process by creating periodic discharge cycles that naturally prevent excessive reacted layer formation. The system uses its own operational parameters (pulse width, duty cycle, power levels) to maintain target surface metallic areas, providing self-control without external feedback mechanisms
3Reliability
If conventional HIPIMS is used for reactive sputtering, then metallic coatings are deposited, but deposition rate is only 25-30% compared to pulsed DC sputtering and hysteresis phenomena occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the power supply parameters from conventional continuous or standard pulsed DC to specifically optimized pulsed DC parameters with controlled duty cycles and peak power levels. This parameter optimization enables HIPIMS to achieve deposition rates comparable to or exceeding pulsed DC sputtering while maintaining process stability by preventing hysteresis effects through appropriate pulse timing
4Manufacturing precision
If high reactive gas partial pressure is used to obtain desired compound, then compound coating is achieved, but target surface is covered by reactants causing hysteresis effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic pulsed DC power supply that creates alternating periods of high reactivity (during pulses) and recovery (between pulses). During the pulse periods, compound coating is deposited with correct stoichiometry; during inter-pulse periods, the target surface recovers metallic character, preventing hysteresis while maintaining coating precision
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach results in a deposition rate at least three times higher than prior art, with reduced hysteresis effects and stable process operation, allowing for the efficient deposition of homogeneous coatings over large surfaces and mixed metal compositions.
Implementation Method 1
magnetron sputtering method for producing coatings of mixed metal oxides, nitrides, carbides or mixtures thereof
Implementation Method 2
PVD methods such as reactive magnetron sputtering
Implementation Method 3
ignites a magnetron sputtering glow discharge with a current rising to a maximum peak during each pulse
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method of producing coatings of metal oxide, nitride or carbide or mixtures thereof, whereby operating a High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering, HIPIMS, discharged on one or more target (s) (3), in an argon and reactive gas mixture (5, 6), at peak pulse power higher than 200 Wcm-2, in which the deposition rate is improved and in the need for partial reactive gas pressure feedback systems is eliminated.