<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
<style type="text/css" style="display:none;"> P {margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;} </style>
</head>
<body dir="ltr">
<div style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="elementToProof">
Hi Pial, </div>
<div style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="elementToProof">
Here's some tricks we use to get a plasma lit. 1) With your shutters closed raise the pressure until you get a plasma and then drop down to your target 2) If you have substrate sputtering (usually RF) turn that on at the same time just to get some ions
in there 3) Run a second target with substrate shutters closed until it lights. We do Ni pretty regularly with a similar thickness target but have not done NiFe. </div>
<div style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="elementToProof">
<br>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="elementToProof">
-Michael </div>
<div id="appendonsend"></div>
<hr style="display:inline-block;width:98%" tabindex="-1">
<div id="divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size:11pt" color="#000000"><b>From:</b> labnetwork <labnetwork-bounces@mtl.mit.edu> on behalf of Mohammad Mohtasim Hamid Pial <mpial001@fiu.edu><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, October 13, 2025 4:32 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> labnetwork@mtl.mit.edu <labnetwork@mtl.mit.edu><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [labnetwork] Issue Striking Plasma for NiFe Sputtering on Angstrom Nexdep PVD System – Need Guidance</font>
<div> </div>
</div>
<style type="text/css" style="display:none">
<!--
p
{margin-top:0;
margin-bottom:0}
-->
</style>
<div dir="ltr">
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style="line-height:12.0pt; background:#FF4D4D"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt; color:black">CAUTION:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt; color:black"> This email originated from outside of our organization. Do not click links,
open attachments, or respond unless you recognize the sender's email address and know the contents are safe.</span></p>
<div></div>
<div>
<div class="x_elementToProof" style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">
Dear All,</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof" style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">
<br>
</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof" style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">
I am attempting to deposit NiFe using a magnetron sputtering setup (Angstrom Engineering – Nexdep PVD platform). Below are my target specifications and sputtering parameters:</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof" style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">
<br>
</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof" style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">
Target: NiFe (2" dia × 1 mm, 4N purity) bonded to a 1/8" Cu backing plate</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof" style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">
Sputtering Method: DC Magnetron Sputtering</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof" style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">
DC Power: 100–150 W</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof" style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">
Base Pressure: ~10⁻⁶ Torr</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof" style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">
Ar Gas Flow Rate: 20–30 sccm</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof" style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">
Working Pressure: 3–5 mTorr</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof" style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">
<br>
</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof" style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">
However, I am unable to ignite the plasma. The DC power supply setpoint keeps blinking and the power stalls around 15 W before dropping </div>
<div class="x_elementToProof" style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">
<br>
</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof" style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">
Could this issue be due to insufficient magnetic field strength (not penetrating the thick target/Cu backing), or is the target too thick for effective plasma ignition? Do I need a thinner target or additional magnetic confinement?</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof" style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">
<br>
</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof" style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">
I would greatly appreciate any insights or recommendations from anyone who has sputtered NiFe or similar high-permeability alloys on this platform.</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof" style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">
<br>
</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof" style="font-family:Aptos,Aptos_EmbeddedFont,Aptos_MSFontService,Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(0,0,0)">
Thank you in advance!<br>
Pial</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof" style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(85,85,85)">
<br>
</div>
<div class="x_elementToProof" style="font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:rgb(85,85,85)">
<br>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>