The mechanism of energy transport by particles from the target of a pl
anar magnetron sputter source to the substrate is investigated. Analys
is of the substrate heating gives information about the total energy t
ransported by particles. Subsequent model calculations allow us to dis
tinguish between different energy transport mechanisms like electronic
bombardment, ionic bombardment, motion of sputter particles and high
energetic neutral bombardment. Relevant factors are the arrival rates,
relative to the sputter current, of high energetic neutrals (gamma =
0.018), the escape probability of high energetic electrons (eta = 0.00
8) and the effective substrate bias which is about 50% of the applied
substrate potential.