Sputtering simulation of multilayer coatings in industrial PVD system with three-fold rotation

Multilayer coatings in physical vapour deposition (PVD) systems are usually prepared by rotation of substrates along different targets. In industrial PVD systems two- or three-fold rotations are typically applied. When substrates rotate around the targets, deposition rate of material varies. Rotation therefore influences the thickness and sequence of layers in the multilayer coating. Structure of the multilayer coating depends on the parameters of rotation, initial position and orientation of the substrates. A computer simulation of deposition process with four unbalanced magnetron sources was made for two- and three-fold rotation. Time dependence of growth rate and thickness was calculated. Calculations for three-fold rotation show that additional modulation is super-imposed on the basic period. Results of simulation are in accordance with experimental data from scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES).