Plasma Source With Segmented Magnetron

A method for sputtering, the method comprising:

• a) confining a feed gas in a plasma chamber;
• b) applying a first voltage pulse train to a cathode assembly comprising target material thereby generating a plasma from the feed gas that sputters a first layer of target material, a peak amplitude, a rise time, and a duration of pulses in the first voltage pulse train being selected to achieve desired properties of the first layer of target material;
• and
• c) applying a second voltage pulse train to a cathode assembly comprising target material thereby generating a plasma from the feed gas that sputters a second layer of target material, a peak amplitude, a rise time, and a duration of pulses in the first voltage pulse train being selected to achieve desired properties of the second layer of target material.

A method for generating a plasma, the method comprising:

• a) confining a feed gas in a plasma chamber;
• b) applying a first voltage pulse train to a first isolated cathode segment comprising a first target material thereby generating a plasma from the feed gas that sputters a layer of the first target material, a peak amplitude, a rise time, and a duration of pulses in the first voltage pulse train being selected to achieve desired properties of the first layer of target material;
• and
• c) applying a second voltage pulse train to a second isolated cathode segment comprising a second target material thereby generating a plasma from the feed gas that sputters a layer of the second target material, a peak amplitude, a rise time, and a duration of pulses in the first voltage pulse train being selected to achieve desired properties of the first layer of target material.