Stoichiometry control of the two gas reactive sputtering process

The objective of the paper is the synthesis of a control structure for a two-gas reactive magnetron sputtering process, using a model that is suitable for modeling the coverage of the substrate with different compounds of the particles participating in the process. Assuming its observability, the ternary compound coverage is controlled by means of the gas flow of oxygen supplied in a continuous fashion, with the oxygen partial pressure limitation dependent on the nitrogen partial pressure. On the other hand, the set value of the nitrogen partial pressure depends on the set value of the discharge current, which is controlled by means of the nitrogen gas flow. The control characteristics have been derived and the dynamic behavior of the proposed stoichiometry control structure has been simulated based on the parameters of a laboratory sputtering chamber, which is intended to be used for the experimental validation of the simulation results.