Design and fabrication of a DC magnetron sputtering system

Abstract

A magnetron for the development of an existing DC Sputtering System was designed and fabricated. The glow discharge it produced was profiled in terms of current, voltage and pressure relationships, discharge shape and stability as well as its Paschen curve. Secondary arcs in the discharge were observed to change in size and brightness as pressure varied and brightness of the glow discharge was observed to increase at certain pressures – a result that is critical for the use of the system in sputter deposition.