Abstract: Magnetron sputtering is widely employed in thin-film fabrication, yet issues such as non-uniform target erosion and limited efficiency remain. This study aims to elucidate the influence mechanisms of magnetic configuration, chamber shape, and discharge parameters on argon ion transport, thereby providing a basis for improving sputtering uniformity and efficiency. A finite-element model coupling the magnetic field and plasma field was developed to evaluate the effects of magnetic pole height configurations (inner-magnet-elevated configuration, equal-elevation configuration, and outer-magnet-elevated configuration), chamber height-to-diameter ratios (0.5-1.5), and discharge conditions (anode voltages of 50-200 V and pressures of 6.67-126.66 Pa) on ion distribution and sputtering behavior. The results show that the outer-magnet-elevated configuration enhances magnetic confinement, leading to a more concentrated ion distribution and a 23% reduction in full-width at half-maximum, thereby increasing erosion efficiency while reducing target utilization. As the height-to-diameter ratio increases from 0.5 to 1.5, the variance of ion density decreases by 94.8%, the integral intensity increases by 47.3%, and target utilization and erosion efficiency increase by approximately 20-fold and 1.5-fold, respectively. Increasing the anode voltage yields orders-of-magnitude growth in argon ion production, whereas increasing pressure suppresses it to 28% of the initial level. These findings clarify the coupled regulatory effects of magnetic-field gradients, geometric constraints, and discharge conditions on ion transport, providing theoretical support for the optimization of magnetron sputtering equipment and process design.

Key words: magnetron sputtering, argon ion distribution, magnetic field configuration, discharge parameters, plasma transport, etching uniformity