Magnetic field topology for altering ion density in bipolar sputtering

A drastic change in the spatial ion distribution in bipolar magnetron sputtering discharge is reported upon changing the magnetic field topology. In our case, a significant increase in ion number density at certain time delays is registered when topology is changed toward the unbalanced type. A transitory torch-shaped ionization zone consequently disappears, along with the low-energy part of the ion energy distribution, due to no additional ionization in this case.