Magnetron sputtering: a review of recent developments and applications

Magnetron sputtering has become the process of choice for the deposition of a wide range of industrially important coatings. Examples include hard, wear-resistant coatings, low friction coatings, corrosion resistant coatings, decorative coatings and coatings with specific optical, or electrical properties. Although the basic sputtering process has been known and used for many years, it is the development of the unbalanced magnetron and its incorporation into multi-source `closed-field’ systems that have been responsible for the rise in importance of this technique. Closed-field unbalanced magnetron sputtering (CFUBMS) is an exceptionally versatile technique for the deposition of high-quality, well-adhered films. The development, fundamental principles and applications of the CFUBMS process are, therefore, discussed in some detail in this review. Also discussed are other important recent developments in this area, including the pulsed magnetron sputtering process, variable field magnetrons, and the combining of sputtering techniques with other surface coating, or surface modification techniques in duplex production processes.