Why are sputtering targets often called cathode targets

Why is sputtering target called cathode target?

In many sputtering systems, the sputtering target is the cathode target, which is the name of the same object at different angles. Sputtering is a physical vapor deposition (PVD) technique. In the sputtering device, there are two electrodes, the anode and the cathode. When a high voltage is applied between the poles, in a vacuum, a gas (usually an inert gas such as argon) is ionized, creating a plasma. The positive ions in the plasma accelerate to the cathode under the action of an electric field, that is, the sputtering target. These high-energy ions impact the surface of the target, so that the atoms or molecules on the surface of the target are sputtered out, and then deposited on the base material to form a film. Because in this process, the target is used as a cathode to accept the positive ion bombardment in the plasma, so in the field of sputtering, people are used to call the sputtering target cathode target. Cathode target material is essentially the specific name of sputtering target material in the sputtering process situation.

What is the difference between sputtering target and cathode target?

The sputtering target is more focused on the point of view of the material being sputtered, emphasizing its properties as the raw material of thin film deposition. The cathode target is more concerned with its role in the cathode system, including electrical and physicochemical properties related to power supply and plasma generation.