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. Inside 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 technologies are akin to “slowly sprinkling water”: low particle energy and a loose film structure make them prone to issues such as leakage and delamination, 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’s like firing a “precision pulse cannon” at the target material: the instantaneous creation 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 processes, deposition rate and film quality typically exhibit a trade-off. By enhancing plasma ionization degree and plasma density, HiPIMS technology can maintain a high deposition rate while effectively optimizing film quality and improving 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 5nm-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 Micro-Nano Technology (Shenyang) Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Pengcheng Micro-Nano”) Our independently developed ultra-high-vacuum, high-energy pulsed magnetron sputtering coating system 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 processes such as 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 Sputtering Materials
Sample stage in the process chamber heated to 1200℃
In the invisible nanoscale world, high-energy pulses serve as the “faint glow” that illuminates advanced manufacturing processes. From the crude, uncontrolled deposition of conventional coatings to atomically precise, controllable film formation, each iteration in thin-film technology drives progress in cutting-edge manufacturing. Looking ahead, Pengcheng Micro-Nano 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.
Disclaimer:
This article is partially reprinted from the internet; the copyright and editorial responsibility belong to the original author. If you are the original author and do not wish your work to be reprinted, please contact us at sales@hitsemi.com.
News Center
“The Coating Black Technology” Hidden in Medical Imaging
Contact: Ms. Dai
Shenyang Office Address: No. 15, Wanghua South Street, Dadong District, Shenyang City, Liaoning Province
Shenzhen Headquarters Address: Building 1, Chongwen Park, Nanshan Zhiyuan, No. 3370 Liuxian Avenue, Nanshan District, Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province
Phone:+86-13632750017
Email:sales@hitnano-sy.com
Message