Study of high efficiency, low noise sputtered magnetron's cathode using GaN and SiC semiconductors for modulated microwave power transmission

• Main Authors: Leong, Chek Wen, Mekhilef, Saad, Ramiah, Harikrishnan
• Format: Article
• Published: Cambridge Univ Press 2022
• Subjects: QC Physics; T Technology (General)
• Online Access: http://eprints.um.edu.my/42458/

Semiconductor deposition on magnetron's cathode surface using different materials such as gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors is conducted to grow approximately 80, 100 and 120 nm plasma layers. The cathode is then used to generate high frequency and low-power microwave for further comparison and analysis with the conventional magnetron operation. Parameter of analysis to identify the efficiency includes electron drift velocity, harmonic order, total harmonic distortion, low harmonic distortion, and spectrum observation. The sputtered cathode of the magnetron is used to generate a low-power microwave observing a generator efficiency up to 93 and 88% for GaN and SiC materials, respectively, compared to the conventional material, which observes 37% of efficiency at 2450 MHz, 5 W. Also reported is the quality of semiconductor sputtering on the magnetron cathode, which was manipulated by the deposition period, temperature, and plasma layer growth thickness.