Method and an apparatus for generation of a discharge in own vapors of a radio frequency electrode for sustained self-sputtering and evaporation of the electrode

An apparatus for generation of a discharge in vapors containing particles of a radio frequency electrode (1) for sustained self-sputtering of an electrode comprising a reactor pumped by a vacuum pump, a radio frequency generator having an impedance matching unit and a gas container, and further comprising:

• at least one hollow radio frequency electrode (1) hermetically installed in the reactor through an insulating vacuum feed-through (14) and terminated by a hollow target (2);
• an auxiliary gas (5) introduced into said hollow target in the reactor (16) through a gas valve (11) from a gas container (10);
• a control valve (18) between said reactor and the vacuum pump (17) for pumping said reactor;
• a radio frequency power (3) supplied from a radio frequency generator (12) through the impedance matching unit (13) to said radio frequency electrode;
• a counter electrode connected to said radio frequency generator for generation of a radio frequency plasma (4) between said radio frequency electrode and said counter electrode;
• a hollow cathode discharge (9) generated by said radio frequency power and said radio frequency plasma inside said hollow target at said hollow radio frequency electrode in a mixture of said auxiliary gas and vapors developed by sputtering and evaporation of an inner part of said hollow target.

A method of generating a self-sustained discharge in vapors containing particles released from a radio frequency electrode, comprising the steps of:

• supplying a hollow radio frequency electrode with radio frequency power;
• pumping an auxiliary gas into a discharge area of said hollow radio frequency electrode and generating a radio frequency discharge in said auxiliary gas;
• adjusting pressure of said auxiliary gas, by pumping said auxiliary gas from said discharge area, sufficiently for initiating a hollow cathode discharge inside said hollow radio frequency electrode, and causing (a) release from said hollow radio frequency electrode of vapors, containing particles of said hollow radio frequency electrode, and (b) exciting of said hollow cathode discharge in a mixture of said auxiliary gas and said vapors;
• increasing said radio frequency power in an amount sufficient for enhancing density of said vapors and providing a self-sustained hollow cathode discharge when said pumping of said auxiliary gas is terminated;
• terminating said pumping of said auxiliary gas;
• and
• adjusting pumping gas from said discharge area sufficiently for maintaining said self-sustained hollow cathode discharge.