Northwestern University

Anthony Lefkow

Scott A Barnett

William D Sproul

Ming-Show Wong

Phillip Yashar

A method and apparatus for monitoring and controlling deposition of metal, insulating compounds or other compounds on a substrate by sputtering techniques includes maintaining pulsed, constant, direct current power to the target, sensing the voltage of the target material used in the process, simultaneously rapidly sensing the partial pressure of the reactive gas, and simultaneously biasing the substrate to activate the reactive gas or otherwise energizing the reactive gas in the vicinity of the substrate. Low temperature coating (eg., below 550.degree. C.) of compounds such as alumina is effected by introduction of an extra energy source such as a radio frequency coil to the sputtering system to enhance the ionization potential of the positive ions. The asymmetric direct current pulsed magnetron power source is coupled to the cathode, as well as the substrate to be coated. An apparatus for practicing the invention is also disclosed and examples of various oxide coatings using the method of the invention are disclosed. A multilayer coating of nanometer scale layers of yttrium oxide and zirconium oxide having increased hardness is disclosed.

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Evanston, IL, United States of America

Anthony Lefkow