when supplying direct current power to the target 7 in a vacuum and generating plasma for example the potential of the control electrodes 21 c 22 c in the center region of the target 7 among a plurality of the control electrodes 21 22 is set at for example a floating potential whereby the potential is set higher than the potential of the control electrodes 21 a 21 b 21 d and 21 e and the control electrodes 22 a 22 b 22 d and 22 e in the lateral region of the target 7 as a result it is for example possible to relatively increase the plasma density in the discharge space in the center region of the target 7 whereby it is possible to achieve the evenness of the film thickness even when for example the center region of the surface of the target 7 is dug in the long term use of the target 7 according to the magnetron sputtering apparatus 1 in the present embodiment it is possible to easily embody the above discussed invention with a simple structural arrangement the present invention is not limited to the above discussed embodiment but can be modified in a variety of ways for example in the above discussed embodiment the potential of the control electrodes 21 c 22 c for example in the center region of the target 7 among a plurality of the control electrodes 21.