Investigation of the etched behavior of a rose gold target by magnetron sputtering

Compared to the electroplating process, magnetron sputtering offers significant environmental advantages and has emerged as a crucial focus for research and development in jewelry surface coating. In this paper, Au85 rose gold was used to create a plane sputtering target, and the surface etched behavior of the target was studied. The experimental results indicate that the glow and sputtering process remain stable when the target current and power density are low. The target particles will sputter out layer by layer along a crystal face, forming stepped straight stripes. V-shaped grooves are formed on the target surface, and the angle between the slope of the etched area and the normal direction of the target surface is approximately 76°. With the increase in target current and power density, arc discharge occasionally during sputtering, leading to the formation of mastoid-like micromorphology on the surface of the etched area. When the current to the target is further increased, the target material melts quickly. The magnetic field configuration of the target base results in an end effect, leading to uneven depth and width of the etched groove. In order to enhance the utilization rate of the precious metal planar target, the magnetic field layout should be optimized and the power density should be kept within the threshold for arc discharge.