<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="color:#0b5394">Hi Pial,</div><div class="gmail_default" style="color:#0b5394"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color:#0b5394">We run a lot of magnetic materials in our facility, including NiFe. Most of our magnetic targets are thicker than 1mm (some up to 3mm depending on the material), and we typically use 1/8" backing plates as well. Therefore, your thickness should work well as long as you have enough field from the magnetron source to penetrate the target. Since NiFe has very high permeability, you will need a high strength magnet, such as NdFeB in your magnetron. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="color:#0b5394"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color:#0b5394">In addition to field strength, the configuration of the magnets can also make a difference. For example, our standard cathodes use lower strength magnets optimized to improve target wear for non-magnetic materials. When we run magnetic targets, we need to swap the magnetic assembly for a higher field design. I have also worked with cathodes that require replacing a small magnet in the center of the cathode with a large Fe slug to change the field profile for magnetic targets in an effort to increase the amount of field that penetrates the target surface. Do you know what type of magnet design or field strength you have? I am not very familiar with the Angstrom cathode design, but if I am not mistaken, they do have an optimized configuration for magnetic targets that is different from their standard cathode. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="color:#0b5394"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color:#0b5394">One other sanity check is to confirm the current and voltage readouts when trying to ignite the plasma. You mentioned that the system turns off the supply at 15W, so it is likely hitting a limit. If you do not have enough magnetic field to trap electrons at the target surface, you should see the supply hit the voltage limit with no current. If you see the opposite, where it fails by hitting a current limit, then you have a short somewhere (I have seen conductive metal flakes from shields short the target to a grounded shield for example). </div><div class="gmail_default" style="color:#0b5394"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color:#0b5394">Hope this helps.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="color:#0b5394"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color:#0b5394">Best Regards,</div><div class="gmail_default" style="color:#0b5394"><br>Matt</div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Mon, Oct 13, 2025 at 10:33 PM Mohammad Mohtasim Hamid Pial <<a href="mailto:mpial001@fiu.edu">mpial001@fiu.edu</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div class="msg1713918995971714976">
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Dear All,</div>
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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>
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Target: NiFe (2" dia × 1 mm, 4N purity) bonded to a 1/8" Cu backing plate</div>
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Sputtering Method: DC Magnetron Sputtering</div>
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DC Power: 100–150 W</div>
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Base Pressure: ~10⁻⁶ Torr</div>
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Ar Gas Flow Rate: 20–30 sccm</div>
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Working Pressure: 3–5 mTorr</div>
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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>
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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>
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I would greatly appreciate any insights or recommendations from anyone who has sputtered NiFe or similar high-permeability alloys on this platform.</div>
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Thank you in advance!<br>
Pial</div>
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</div></blockquote></div><div><br clear="all"></div><div><br></div><span class="gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal">--<br>
Matthew T. Moneck, Ph.D<br>
Executive Director, Claire & John Bertucci Nanotechnology Laboratory<br>
Electrical & Computer Engineering | Carnegie Mellon University<br>
5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890<br>
Phone: 412-268-5430<br>
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