Planar magnetron sputtering with supplementary electron injection

The characteristics of a magnetron discharge system enhanced by the supplementary injection of energetic electrons are presented. Two versions of a two-stage arrangement were explored: central electron injection and peripheral injection into the cathode layer from an auxiliary glow discharge located downstream of the plane of the sputter target. Electrons injected form the auxiliary discharge are accelerated in the cathode layer of the magnetron discharge to an energy sufficient for effective gas ionization and formation of dense plasma near the sputter target. The minimum operating pressure of the non-self-sustained magnetron discharge is 4 × 10−2 Pa at a discharge current of up to 400 mA. The two different embodiments, with central and peripheral electron injection, show stable operating modes differing in discharge voltage and plasma parameters.