Magnetically enhanced high density plasma-chemical vapor deposition plasma source for depositing diamond and diamond-like films

An apparatus that sputters a layer on a substrate, the apparatus comprising:

• a high-energy density plasma (HEDP) magnetron configured to be positioned in a vacuum with an anode, a cathode target, a magnet assembly, the substrate, and a feed gas;
• a pulse power supply, the pulse power supply providing a plurality of unipolar negative direct current (DC) voltage pulses;
• and
• a pulse converting network (PCN) comprising at least one inductor, a transformer, a full-wave diode bridge, and at least one capacitor, the PCN being configured to convert the unipolar negative DC voltage pulses to an asymmetric alternating current (AC) signal that generates a high-density plasma discharge on the HEDP magnetron with pulse current densities in a range of about 0.1 to 20 A/cm2, the PCN being configured to adjust an amplitude, pulse duration, and frequency of the plurality of unipolar negative DC voltage pulses and a value of at least one of the at least one inductor and the at least one capacitor to cause a resonance mode associated with the PCN, the asymmetric AC signal operatively coupled to the cathode target, the PCN being configured to convert the unipolar negative DC voltage pulses to the asymmetric AC signal comprising a first negative voltage and a first positive voltage followed by a second negative voltage-generating plasma for use during a subsequent negative voltage, the PCN being configured to cause an increase in amplitude of at least one of the negative voltage pules of the asymmetric AC signal in response to an increase in amplitude or pulse duration of the plurality of unipolar negative DC voltage pulses and the PCN being in the resonance mode, thereby causing sputtering discharge associated with the HEDP magnetron to form the layer from the cathode target on the substrate, the substrate being connected to ground by a first diode, thereby attracting positively charged ions sputtered from the cathode target and the plasma to the substrate.

An electrically and magnetically enhanced ionized physical vapor deposition (I-PVD) sputtering apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

• a magnetron, the magnetron positioned in a vacuum with an anode, a cathode target, a magnetic assembly, the substrate, and a feed gas;
• a pulse forming network (PFN) receiving a plurality of unipolar negative direct current (DC) voltage pulses from a pulse power supply, the PFN comprising at least one inductor, a transformer, a full-wave diode bridge, and at least one capacitor,
• the PFN being configured to adjust at least one of an amplitude, pulse duration, and frequency associated with the plurality of unipolar negative DC voltage pulses and a value of at least one of the at least one inductor and the at least one capacitor to cause a resonance mode associated with the PFN, the PFN being configured to convert the unipolar negative DC voltage pulses to an asymmetric alternating current (AC) signal that generates an asymmetric AC discharge on the magnetron with pulse current densities in a range of about 0.1 to 20 A/cm2, the asymmetric AC signal operatively coupled to the cathode target, the PFN being configured to convert the unipolar negative DC voltage pulses to the asymmetric AC signal comprising a first negative voltage and a first positive voltage followed by a second negative voltage generating plasma for use during a subsequent negative voltage associated with the asymmetric AC signal, thereby increasing ionization of sputtered target material on the substrate during sputtering, the substrate being connected to ground by a first diode, thereby attracting positively charged ions sputtered from the cathode target and the plasma to the substrate.