Observation of Ti4+ ions in a high power impulse magnetron sputtering plasma

Multiply charged titanium ions including Ti⁴⁺ were observed in high power impulse magnetron sputtering discharges. Mass/charge spectrometry was used to identify metal ion species. Quadruply charged titanium ions were identified by isotope-induced broadening at mass/charge 12. Due to their high potential energy, Ti⁴⁺ ions give a high yield of secondary electrons, which in turn are likely to be responsible for the generation of multiply charged states.