Controlling titanium incorporation in hydrogenated amorphous carbon films via closed-loop feedback in reactive high power impulse magnetron sputtering

Pornthip RATCHAYOTEE; Artit CHINGSUNGNOEN; Phitsanu  POOLCHARUANSIN

doi:10.55713/jmmm.v34i4.2114

Authors

Pornthip RATCHAYOTEE Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham 44150, Thailand
Artit CHINGSUNGNOEN Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham 44150, Thailand
Phitsanu POOLCHARUANSIN Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham 44150, Thailand https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9650-9888

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55713/jmmm.v34i4.2114

Keywords:

Controlling discharge current, Titanium doped on amorphous carbon, Reactive high power impulse magnetron sputtering, Feedback control

Abstract

A closed-loop feedback approach has been developed to control titanium incorporation in hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) films during reactive high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (R-HiPIMS). The average discharge current measured at the magnetron target is used as the primary feedback signal to regulate the target coverage state. Hence, the titanium concentration in the films can be controlled. Significant changes were observed in the film microstructure and properties as the target state evolved with increasing target coverage. This causes the film transition from metallic titanium to a-C:H films with decreasing titanium concentration. For example, the XRD and Raman analyses indicated a microstructural change from hexagonal titanium to cubic titanium carbide and finally to amorphous carbon. The change in microstructure aligned with the density decreasing from 4.7 g∙cm^‒3 to 1.6 g∙cm^‒3 measured by XRR technique. In addition, a decrease in the Ti/C atomic ratio, from 1.53 to 0.03, clearly demonstrates that the titanium content can precisely be controlled. A simplified model was proposed to explain the relationship between the average HiPIMS current and the carbon coverage fraction on the target surface. The suggested relationship clarifies how adjusting the average discharge current effectively regulates the target coverage state and the consequent titanium concentration. The approach not only enhances process stability, but also offers an alternative to traditional control techniques during the deposition process.

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Author Biography

Phitsanu POOLCHARUANSIN, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham 44150, Thailand

Poolcharuansin received his first degree and Master's degree from Chiang Mai Unversity in Physics and Applied Physics, respectively. He completed his Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering & Electronics from the University of Liverpool. Currently, he is working as a lecturer in the department of physics at Mahasarakham University, Thailand.

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