Publication Date:
2012-09-12
Description:
We report for the first time on instabilities of High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering Plasmas (HIPIMS) which are likely to be of the generalised drift wave type. They are characterized by well defined regions of high and low plasma emissivity along the racetrack of the magnetron and causes periodic shifts in floating potential. The azimuthal mode number m depends on plasma current, plasma density, and gas pressure. The structures rotate in ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/icons/Entities/vecE.gif] {vec E} × ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/icons/Entities/vecB.gif] {vec B} direction at velocities of ~10 kms −1 and frequencies up to 200 kHz. Collisions with residual gas atoms slow the rotating wave down, whereas the elevated plasma density accelerates it. The instabilities result in intermittent modulated particle fl...
Print ISSN:
1757-8981
Electronic ISSN:
1757-899X
Topics:
Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Production Engineering, Mining and Metallurgy, Traffic Engineering, Precision Mechanics
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