Magnetron reactive bias sputtering method and apparatus

Abstract From the Canadian patent

The film deposition rate of metallic compounds onto a substrate in a vacuum chamber by reactive sputtering or reactive ion plating is significantly increased by providing a substrate support with spaced apart magnetic poles to create a magnetic field having lines of force which leave the support extend across a, surface of the substrate exposed to a metallic coating source and re-enter the support to enclose the exposed surface in a localized magnetic electron-trapping field. A reactive gas is fed into the chamber and a bias voltage, is applied to the substrate support sufficient to create a dense glow discharge of ionized reactive gas closely adjacent to the substrate surface. The reactive …