Time-resolved Langmuir probe investigation of hybrid high power impulse magnetron sputtering discharges

The paper focuses on time-resolved diagnostics of unipolar hybrid-dual-High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (hybrid-dual-HiPIMS) discharges. The newly developed sputtering system is based on a combination of dual-HiPIMS with a mid-frequency (MF) discharge. The most important feature of hybrid-dual-HiPIMS systems is the MF pre-ionization which causes/allows: (i) a significant reduction of working pressure by more than one order of magnitude, and (ii) faster ignition and development of HiPIMS pulses. Parameters such as mean electron energy, electron density and electron energy probability function (EEPF) were obtained from time-resolved Langmuir probe diagnostics to demonstrate the aforementioned effects. Calorimetric probe diagnostics were used for determination of the total power density flux. Power flux contributions of particular species, e.g. ions, electrons and neutrals, were estimated as well.