Application of high frequency short-pulsed negative biasing for the decreasing of macroparticle content on substrate immersed in vacuum arc plasma

The result of experimental study of macroparticles (MPs) accumulation on negatively biased substrate immersed in DC vacuum arc titanium plasma are presented. It was found that the negative high frequency short pulse biasing of substrate with respect to the adjacent plasma significantly reduces the MPs content on substrate surface. It was shown that the decreasing of MPs surface number density on a negatively biased substrate is determined by the pulse duration, pulse amplitude and processing time. The surface density of MPs with the size <1.5 μm was decreased 1500-fold at the bias pulse repetition rate 105 pulse per second (p.p.s.), bias potential −2 kV, pulse duration 8 μs and processing time 9-18 min. The total MPs surface density in these cases was decreased 67-fold.