A high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) discharge process is analyzed numerically and experimentally so that one may better understand and explain the effect of the pressure and pulse width on HiPIMS discharges and the deposited thin films. For this reason, a time-dependent global plasma model is developed for the ionization region in a HiPIMS discharge of a Cr target in Ar gas. It is based on the solving of a nonlinear equation system composed of the continuity equations of neutral and charged species in the ionization region considered in the reaction scheme. The pulse widths are about tens of microseconds for a frequency cycle of 1 KHz. The simulations are performed for a 150 W average power and 5–30 mTorr pressure range. In these average power and pressure ranges, a double peak of the electron temperature is observed. The high first peak is due to a high rapid increase of negative voltage during the rising time of pulses, while the second one is due to a diminution of the injected gas Ar in the ionization region. On the other hand, gas rarefaction characterized by the diminution of the Ar density during time-on is due to the high ionization degree and the sputtering wind effect. During plasma off, the density of Ar returns to the stationary state corresponding to the initial pressure. In addition, the simulations reveal that the Cr⁺ population is more important than that of Ar⁺ caused by the high ionization degree of Cr compared with Ar. This confirms the high ionization degree during time-on, leading to a high efficiency of sputtering of Cr material. However, Cr²⁺ is still weak. In addition, a good agreement is shown between the calculated time current evolution and the measured one.

中文翻译：

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用于氩等离子体-铬靶相互作用的高功率脉冲磁控管溅射全局模型

对高功率脉冲磁控溅射 (HiPIMS) 放电过程进行了数值和实验分析，以便更好地理解和解释压力和脉冲宽度对 HiPIMS 放电和沉积薄膜的影响。出于这个原因，为在 Ar 气体中的 Cr 靶的 HiPIMS 放电中的电离区域开发了一个与时间相关的全局等离子体模型。它基于求解非线性方程组，该方程组由反应方案中考虑的电离区域中中性和带电物质的连续方程组成。对于 1 KHz 的频率周期，脉冲宽度约为数十微秒。模拟是针对 150 W 平均功率和 5–30 mTorr 压力范围进行的。在这些平均功率和压力范围内，观察到电子温度的双峰。高的第一个峰值是由于在脉冲上升时间内负电压的快速增加，而第二个峰值是由于电离区域中注入的气体 Ar 的减少。另一方面，随着时间的推移，以Ar密度降低为特征的气体稀薄是由于高电离度和溅射风效应。在等离子体关闭期间，Ar 的密度恢复到与初始压力相对应的稳定状态。此外，模拟表明 Cr 以Ar密度降低为特征的气体稀薄是由于高电离度和溅射风效应造成的。在等离子体关闭期间，Ar 的密度恢复到与初始压力相对应的稳定状态。此外，模拟表明 Cr 以Ar密度降低为特征的气体稀薄是由于高电离度和溅射风效应造成的。在等离子体关闭期间，Ar 的密度恢复到与初始压力相对应的稳定状态。此外，模拟表明 Cr与Ar相比，Cr的高电离度导致⁺种群比Ar ⁺更重要。这证实了导通期间的高电离度，从而导致 Cr 材料的高效率溅射。然而，Cr ²⁺仍然很弱。此外，计算出的时间电流演变与测量的电流演变之间显示出良好的一致性。