Reactive magnetron sputtering is a mature technique to deposit a thin compound layer on a broad gamut of substrates as a top layer or as an intermediate layer in a multilayer coating. The scope of “thin” ranges from a few nanometers up to several micrometers.

Why does a magnetron sputter?

Magnetron sputtering is the collision process between incident particles and targets. ... Magnetron sputtering increases the plasma density by introducing a magnetic field on the surface of the target cathode and utilizing the constraints of the magnetic field on the charged particles to increase the sputtering rate.

What is meant by reactive sputtering?

Reactive sputtering is a process that allows compounds to be deposited by introducing a reactive gas (typically oxygen or nitrogen) into the plasma which is typically formed by an inert gas such as argon (most common), xenon, or krypton.