High-Energy Pulsed Magnetron Sputtering Coating: The Indigenous Key to the Nanoscale World of Semiconductors
Release time:
2026-05-09
Did you know? 1 nanometer = 10 -9 A nanometer is one ten-thousandth the diameter of a human hair. The core chips in the smartphones, computers, and 5G devices we use every day harbor a “nanoworld” even smaller than one ten-thousandth of a hair’s diameter—the world of advanced-node semiconductors. Within these chips, insulating layers, barrier layers, and conductive films must all be “grown” with nanometer-level precision—this is High-Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HiPIMS) Coating Technology the stage.
High-energy pulsed magnetron sputtering is a magnetron sputtering technique that employs high pulse peak power and a low pulse duty cycle to achieve a high metal ionization rate during sputtering.
Traditional coating techniques are akin to “slowly sprinkling water”: low particle energy and a loose film structure make them prone to issues such as leakage and delamination, thus failing to meet the stringent requirements of advanced manufacturing processes. In contrast, high-energy pulsed magnetron sputtering generates a high-density plasma through short-duration, high-peak-power pulses, enabling the deposition of high-quality thin films. It is like firing a “precision pulse cannon” at the target material: the instantaneous generation of a high-density plasma allows these high-energy ions to precisely “embed” into the chip substrate, ultimately forming an ultra-thin film with exceptionally high density and extremely low surface roughness.
Furthermore, in conventional magnetron sputtering, there is typically a trade-off between deposition rate and film quality. By increasing the plasma ionization degree and plasma density, HiPIMS technology can maintain a high deposition rate while effectively optimizing film quality and enhancing the mechanical properties and durability of the deposited films.
Based on the aforementioned advantages, HiPIMS technology has become a critical process tool in advanced chip manufacturing and is widely employed in key chip fabrication steps: in high-k gate dielectric applications, it can replace conventional silicon dioxide, effectively reducing leakage current in 5-nm-node chips; in third-generation semiconductor applications such as gallium nitride and aluminum nitride, the use of ultra-high-vacuum high-energy pulsed magnetron sputtering (UHV-HiPIMS) enables the deposition of low-defect-density thin films, thereby providing process support for the domestication of 5G RF and power devices.
Ultra-High Vacuum High-Energy Pulsed Magnetron Sputtering Coating System (HITSemi-UHV-HIPIMS)
Pengcheng Semiconductor Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Pengcheng Semiconductor”) Our independently developed ultra-high-vacuum high-energy pulsed magnetron sputtering coating equipment employs ultra-high-vacuum high-energy pulsed magnetron sputtering (UHV-HiPIMS) technology.
This equipment operates in an ultra-clean environment and employs nanoscale and atomic-level fabrication techniques to grow high-purity, high-quality thin films. One of its key application areas is the growth of GaN single-crystal thin films and the fabrication of GaN-based dilute magnetic semiconductor materials with well-defined molecular structures. The system comprises a process chamber, a pre-treatment chamber, a glove box, a sample-transfer mechanism, a vacuum deposition system, an electrical control system, and RHEED-based measurement and characterization systems. It enables the complete execution of wafer cleaning, epitaxial layer and dilute magnetic semiconductor film deposition, post-deposition film processing, and protective packaging—all within a cleanroom environment.
Glow Discharge Phenomena in Ultra-High Magnetron Sputtering Targets for Different Target Materials
Sample stage in the process chamber heated to 1200°C
In the invisible nanoscale world, high-energy pulses serve as the “faint glow” that illuminates advanced manufacturing processes. From the crude, batch-oriented deposition of traditional coatings to atomically precise, controllable film formation, each iteration in thin-film technology drives progress in cutting-edge manufacturing. Looking ahead, Pengcheng Semiconductor will continue to deepen its R&D efforts in domestically produced high-end equipment, steadily supporting the semiconductor industry’s pursuit of high-quality development.
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