More evidence for azimuthal ion spin in HiPIMS discharges

Abstract

The velocity and energy distribution functions of ions escaping radially from the magnetic trap region of a HiPIMS discharge have been measured using a retarding field analyzer (RFA). Spatially and angularly resolved measurements recorded at a representative time show more energetic ions detected along a line-of-sight coincident with an oncoming rotating ion fluid, which circulates above the racetrack in the same direction as the electron E × B drift. The difference in the mean ion energies between measurements made into and against the direction of rotation is ∼5 eV. Numerical solutions of the equation of motion for the ions accounting for azimuthal acceleration (modified two-stream instability model used by Lundin et al) have been found. The centripetal force caused by the radial electric field and a drag force term accounting for ion collisions revealed that only a small fraction (typically <5%) of the circulating ion flux can leave the discharge tangentially. Operating the discharge at different background pressures revealed an interplay between the azimuthal acceleration of ions, dominating under low pressure conditions and the scattering of ions into the RFA at higher pressure.