The influence of pulse duration and duty cycle on the energy flux to the substrate in high power impulse magnetron sputtering

The paper focuses on measurements of the total energy flux and normalized energy flux onto the substrate during high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) in a wide range of the pulse duration and discharge current. Al, Cr and Ti targets with a diameter 76 mm are used for sputtering. HiPIMS parameters include 1 kW discharge power, 15 to 150 А discharge current, 0.4–10 kHz pulse frequency, and 5–100 μs pulse duration. It is shown that the use of short pulses leads to ∼40 and 70% growth in the total energy flux onto floating and biased (−100 V) substrates, respectively. The energy per unit volume of the deposited coating increases by several times, if the pulse duration and the duty cycle are reduced. The paper examines reasons for the increased total and normalized energy fluxes onto the substrate observed after the pulse parameter modulation in the sputtering process. •Total and normalized energy fluxes onto the substrate are measured during HiPIMS.•Energy fluxes are measured depending on pulse's duration and duty cycle.•Influence of target material on energy fluxes onto the substrate is studied.•Use of short pulses leads to growth in the total energy flux onto substrate.•Normalized energy flux increases if the pulse duration and the duty cycle are reduced.