Characterization of transport of neutral and ionized species in reactive HiPIMS process

International audienceThe aim of the studyis to developa software to control in real time the thin film deposition of a plasma magnetron process. The thin films will be obtained by HiPIMS plasma process (High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering)[1]. Nowadays, it is the only physical process able to ensure optimal compliance ofthe coatings on complex 3D substrates. It is also easy to implement on industrial production lines thatare already equipped by conventional magnetron sputtering systems. In order to well understand this HiPIMS process and to control it by software, we will use three plasma diagnostics:absorption spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and optical emission spectroscopy(OES). The combination of the diagnostics will allow studying the behaviourof ions and neutrals created in the plasma and their transport in the spatial post-discharge. These measurements will serve to establish abacuses for the control software. We will also associate OES data with the conformity and properties of the coatings to verify if the latter could be linked with some OES lines, whose evolutions could be the signature of the imposed modifications