Managing arcs in large area sputtering applications

Arc detection and power supply response technology have evolved over the years to provide significant enhancement to virtually all thin film sputtering processes. While arcing can vary in severity and process impact it is generally accepted that arcs will occur, at some level, through the course of a typical deposition. The complexity of arc detection and response has grown as thin films continue to scale becoming increasingly sensitive to the particles arcs generate. Effective optimization of arc handling requires an understanding of both the nature of, and the contributors to, arcs that are occurring. Minimizing the impact of arcs requires an appropriate response that considers their characteristics and the elements that influence or interact with these characteristics. This study evaluates many of the key factors that influence arc rate, arc energy and arc persistence in large area sputtering applications. Interactions between arc behaviors and methods used to handle them are shown to offer key insight for methods extending beyond arc handling and into what is now called arc management. Ultimately, optimized arc management offers promise for controlling the factors that affect arc formation and persistence. This, in the end, allows for more intelligent response to the arcs that occur and better control over the impact arcs have on the deposition being performed.