High-rate reactive sputtering of dielectric stoichiometric films

A method and apparatus for monitoring and controlling reactive sputter deposition are provided. They are particularly useful for high-rate deposition of dielectric stoichiometric compounds (e.g.. metal-oxides, metal-nitrides, metal-oxynitrides, etc.) on various substrates using high power magnetron sputtering a metal target, including high power impulse magnetron sputtering with target power densities of up to several kWcm-2 in short target (cathode) voltage pulses (typically 40 Mus to 200 Mus). For a given nominal target power level, target material and source gases, a pulsed flow rate of the reactive gas into a vacuum chamber is controlled at a constant target voltage, kept by a power supply, to promote sputter deposition of the dielectric stoichiometric films in a transition region between a "metallic mode" and a "covered (poisoned) mode".