A sputtering method comprises applying a negative voltage intermittently in a constant periodic cycle to a cathode disposed in a vacuum chamber, wherein the negative voltage is intermittently applied so that a time during which the negative voltage is not applied includes a time during which the voltage is controlled to be zero volt in a range of from 10 .mu.s to 10 ms, and the zero voltage time is equal to or longer than the time required by one arcing from its generation to extinction.