Generating a Highly Ionized Plasma in a Plasma Chamber

A method of generating a highly ionized plasma in a plasma chamber, the method comprising:

• providing a neutral gas to be ionized in the plasma chamber at pressure below 50 Pa;
• supplying at least one high energy, high power electrical pulse with power equal or larger than 100 kW and energy equal or larger than 10 J, to at least one magnetron cathode in connection with a target in the plasma chamber;
• producing a highly ionized plasma directly from the neutral gas in a plasma volume such that the plasma volume cross section increases during a current rise period;
• sputtering atoms from the target with the highly ionized plasma;
• and
• ionizing at least part of the sputtered atoms.

A method of generating a highly ionized plasma in a plasma chamber, the method comprising:

• providing a neutral gas to be ionized in the plasma chamber at pressure below 50 Pa;
• supplying at least one high energy, high power electrical pulse with power equal or larger than 100 kW and energy equal or larger than 10 J, to at least one magnetron cathode in connection with a target in the plasma chamber;
• and
• producing a highly ionized plasma directly from the neutral gas such that during a current rise period the current density in the plasma chamber reaches more than 80% of its maximum value before the current into the electrode reaches more than 80% of its maximum value.

An apparatus for magnetically enhanced sputtering, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one magnet configured to provide a magnetic field in a magnetron configuration at the surface of a sputtering target, from which material is to be sputtered;
• a plasma chamber configured to receive the sputtering target, the chamber having an inlet for introduction into the chamber of a neutral gas to be ionized;
• an anode and a cathode in the chamber, the cathode in electrical connection with the target;
• and
• a high energy pulse power source configured to apply a high energy, high power electrical pulse with power equal or larger than 100 kW and energy equal or larger than 10 J, between the anode and the cathode in the chamber;
• wherein responsive to said high energy pulse power source a highly ionized plasma is generated directly from the neutral gas such that the plasma volume cross section increases during a current rise period.