TY - JOUR T1 - Drifting potential humps in ionization zones: The “propeller blades” of high power impulse magnetron sputtering JF - Applied Physics Letters Y1 - 2013/10// SP - 144103 A1 - André Anders A1 - Matjaž Panjan A1 - Robert Franz A1 - Joakim Andersson A1 - Pavel A. Ni KW - Electric fields KW - ionization KW - plasma ionization KW - sputter deposition KW - sputtering AB - Ion energy distribution functions measured for high power impulse magnetron sputtering show features, such as a broad peak at several 10 eV with an extended tail, as well as asymmetry with respect to E × B, where E and B are the local electric and magnetic field vectors, respectively. Here it is proposed that those features are due to the formation of a potential hump of several 10 V in each of the traveling ionization zones. Potential hump formation is associated with a negative-positive-negative space charge that naturally forms in ionization zones driven by energetic drifting electrons. VL - 103 IS - 14 JO - Appl. Phys. Lett. DO - 10.1063/1.4823827 ER -