Target assembly capable of attaining a high step coverage ratio in a magnetron-type sputtering device

Claim 2

A target assembly for use in a sputtering device comprising holding means for holding at least one object in a face to face relationship with said target assembly, and electric field producing means for producing an electric field between said target assembly and said holding means, said at least one object being covered with a layer at a step coverage ratio defined in relation to steps left on said at least one object, said target assembly comprising: a first target made of a predetermined material having a planar surface surrounded by a circular periphery and having a center axis perpendicular to said planar surface, a said planar surface being kept substantial parallel to said at least one object; a second target made of said predetermined material having an inner periphery adjacent to and concentric with said circular periphery, an outer periphery placed outside said inner periphery relative to said planar surface, and a sloping surface extending between said inner and outer peripheries so that said outer periphery is nearer said holding means than said inner periphery; a first magnet which is magnetically coupled to said first target for producing a first part of a magnetic field which locally intersects said electric field to sputter said planar surface; and a second magnet which is magnetically coupled to said second target for producing a second part of said magnetic field which locally intersects said electric field to sputter said sloping surface and to form said layer of the predetermined material on said at least one object with a cooperation of said first and said second parts of said magnetic and said electric fields so that said step coverage ratio becomes substantially uniform on each step of said at least one object.

Claim 3

A target assembly as claimed in claim 1, said first target passing through a center point of said planar surface, wherein: said first magnet being for producing said first part of said magnetic field between said center point and said circular periphery; and said second magnet being for producing said second part of said magnetic field between said outer and said inner peripheries.

Claim 4

A target assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said circular and said inner peripheries are spaced apart from each other.

Claim 5

A target assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein said circular and said inner peripheries are coplanar.

Claim 6

A target assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first and said second targets are electrically connected to each other.

Claim 7

A target assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first and said second targets are electrically insulated from each other.

Claim 8

A target assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said circular and said inner peripheries are contiguous to each other.

Claim 9

A sputtering device comprising a target assembly, holding means for holding at least one object in a face to face relationship with said target assembly and with a space left between said holding means and said target assembly, and electric field producing means for producing an electric field between said target assembly and said holding means, said at least one object being covered with a layer at a step coverage ratio which is defined in relation to steps left on said at least one object, said target assembly comprising: a first target made of a predetermined material having a planar surface surrounded by a circular periphery and having a center axis perpendicular to said planar surface, said planar surface being kept substantial parallel to said at least one object; a second target of said predetermined material having an inner periphery adjacent to and concentric with said circular periphery, an outer periphery placed outside said inner periphery relative to said planar surface, and a sloping surface extending between said inner and outer peripheries so that said outer periphery is nearer said holding means than said inner periphery; a first magnet which is magnetically coupled to said first target for producing a first part of a magnetic field which locally intersects said electric field to sputter said planar surface; and a second target which is magnetically coupled to said second target for producing a second part of said magnetic field which locally intersects said electric field to sputter said sloping surface and to form said layer of the predetermined material on said at least one object with a cooperation of said first and said second parts of said magnetic and said electric fields so that said step coverage ratio becomes substantially uniform on each step of said at least one object.

Claim 10

A sputtering device comprising a target assembly, holding means for holding at least one object in a face to face relationship with said target assembly and with a space left between said holding means and said target assembly, and electric field producing means for producing an electric field between said target assembly and said holding means, said at least one object being covered with a layer at a step coverage ratio which is defined in relation to steps left on said at least one object, said target assembly comprising: a first target made of a predetermined material having a planar surface surrounded by a circular periphery and having a center axis perpendicular to said planar surface, said planar surface being kept substantial parallel to said at least one object; a second target of said predetermined material having an inner periphery adjacent to and concentric with said circular periphery, an outer periphery placed outside said inner periphery relative to said planar surface, and a sloping surface extending between said inner and outer peripheries so that said outer periphery is nearer said holding means than said inner periphery; a first magnet which is magnetically coupled to said first target for producing a first part of a magnetic field which locally intersects said electric field to sputter said planar surface; and a second target which is magnetically coupled to said second target for producing a second part of said magnetic field which locally intersects said electric field to sputter said sloping surface and to form said layer of the predetermined material on said at least one object with a cooperation of said first and said second parts of said magnetic and said electric fields so that said step coverage ratio becomes substantially uniform on each step of said at least one object.

Claim 11

A sputtering device as claimed in claim 8, said first target passing through a center point of said planar surface, wherein: said first magnet being for producing said first part of said magnetic field between said center point and said circular periphery; and said second magnet being for producing said second part of said magnetic field between said outer and said inner peripheries.

Claim 12

A sputtering device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said circular and said inner peripheries are spaced apart from each other.

Claim 13

A sputtering device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said circular and said inner peripheries are coplanar.

Claim 14

A sputtering device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said first and said second targets are electrically connected to each other.

Claim 15

A sputtering device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said first and said second targets are electrically insulated from each other.

Claim 16

A sputtering device as claimed in claim 13, said first and said second targets being bombarded by ions generated in said space between said at least one object and said first and said second targets with cooperation of said first and said second parts of said magnetic and said electric fields on sputtering the predetermined material of said target member onto said object, said ions causing a first and a second ion current to flow through said first and said second targets, respectively, said sputtering device comprising: first detecting means coupled to said first target for detecting said first ion current to produce a first detection signal representative of said first ion current; second detecting means coupled to said second target for detecting said second ion current to produce a second detection signal representative of said second ion current; and controlling means coupled to at least one of said electric field producing means and said first and said second magnets and responsive to said first and said second detection signals for controlling said at least one of the electric field producing means and the first and the second magnets to adjust said first and said second ion currents to first and second preselected values, respectively.

Claim 17

A sputtering device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said electric field producing means comprises: a first controllable voltage source coupled to said controlling means and coupled between said first target and said holding means for producing a first partial electric field as a part of said electric field to adjust said first ion current to said first preselected value; and a second controllable voltage source coupled to said controlling means and coupled between said second target and said holding means for producing a second partial electric field as another part of said electric field to adjust said second ion current to said second preselected value.

Claim 18

A sputtering device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said controlling means comprises: magnetic field controlling means responsive to said first and said second detection signals and coupled to said first and said second magnets for controlling said first and said second magnets to make the same produce the first and the second parts of said magnetic fields such that said first and said second ion currents become equal to said first and said second preselected values, respectively.

Claim 19

A sputtering device as claimed in claim 16, a preselected one of said first and said second magnets comprising an electromagnet supplied with a controllable excitation signal, wherein said magnetic field controlling means comprises: calculation means coupled to said first and said second detecting means and responsive to said first and said second detection signals for carrying out a predetermined calculation to produce a result signal representative of a result of said predetermined calculation; and signal supply means coupled to said calculation means and said electromagnet for supplying said electromagnet with said controllable excitation signal with reference to said result signal.

Claim 20

A sputtering device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said circular and said inner peripheries are contiguous to each other.