Hysteresis behavior during facing target magnetron sputtering

•Quantitative model for the hysteresis behavior during facing target sputtering•Shift of the hysteresis as a function of the target-to-target distance•Fundamental insights in the driving mechanisms of reactive facing target sputtering

The target-to-target distance affects the hysteresis behavior during reactive facing target sputtering. A decreasing target-to-target distance results in a shift of the first critical point towards lower reactive gas flows while only a minor effect on the position of the second critical point is noticed. Based on a time-dependent and spatially-resolved simulation model for reactive sputtering for multiple metallic targets, it is possible to elucidate the main mechanisms for these shifts. The slight difference in position of the second critical point can be understood from the perspective of target deposition. The shift in the first critical point under decreasing target separation is dominated by the decrease in the effective gettering area.