Dual magnetron sputtering (DMS) system with sine-wave power supply for large-area coating

In recent years, the pulsed sputtering technique has gained a firm hold as a process. The use of this technique opens up a lot of opportunities, especially for the reactive deposition of compound layers. High deposition rates and stable coating conditions are attainable over a very long time. Here we present dual magnetron sputter (DMS) systems with a target length of up to 3600 mm and sine-wave generators with a plasma power of up to 100 kW. We discuss the problems of impedance matching between the generator and the plasma discharge, and give the deposition rates attained and some important process parameters for the deposition of SnO2, TiO2 and SiO2. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science S.A.