US4606802A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Planar magnetron sputtering with modified field configuration
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
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Filing: 1984-12-18
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Granted: 1986-08-19
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Expires: 2004-12-18
Abstract
Abstract Planar magnetron sputtering sputters a target formed of plural target members from their principal surface. The plural target members are arranged on an electrode. The sputtering is carried out in such a condition that an electric field and magnetic field are substantially parallel in their direction at the boundary regions among the plural target members.
Inventors
- 👤 Shigeru Kobayashi
- 👤 Katsuo Abe
- 👤 Masao Sakata
- 👤 Osamu Kasahara
- 👤 Hidetsugu Ogishi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 04:01
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/22; C23C14/34; H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/34; H01J37/3411; H01J37/3414; H01J37/3426; H01J37/3429; H01J37/3402; H01J37/3405; H01J37/3408; H01J37/345; H01J37/3458
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
96 words
A method of planar magnetron sputtering comprising the step of sputtering a sputtering target comprising a plurality of target members from a principal surface, said plurality of target members arranged side by side on an electrode so as to provide a boundary region between each two of the plurality of target members arranged side by side, with an electric field and magnetic field being made substantially parallel in their direction at each of the boundary regions between each two of said plurality of target members, to thereby reduce the occurrence of sputtering at the boundary regions.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
96 words
A method of planar magnetron sputtering comprising the step of sputtering a sputtering target comprising a plurality of target members from a principal surface, said plurality of target members arranged side by side on an electrode so as to provide a boundary region between each two of the plurality of target members arranged side by side, with an electric field and magnetic field being made substantially parallel in their direction at each of the boundary regions between each two of said plurality of target members, to thereby reduce the occurrence of sputtering at the boundary regions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method of planar magnetron sputtering according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of target members is made of a material different from the other target members.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of planar magnetron sputtering according to claim 2, wherein at least one of said boundary regions is of an annular shape.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method of planar magnetron sputtering according to claim 3, wherein said boundary regions are concentric with each other.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
85 words
A method of planar magnetron sputtering according to claim 4, wherein a first principal surface of the annular shape of first target member having an interior and exterior concentric boundary regions on its both side is placed on a plane different from either one of a second principal surface of the second target member encircled by said interior boundary region of the first target member and a third principal surface of the third target member adjacent to said exterior region of the first target member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method of planar magnetron sputtering according to claim 5, wherein said second target member and third target member are made of the same material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method of planar magnetron sputtering according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of target members are fixed mutually, or to a target support member, through a plurality of contact points.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
119 words
A method of planar magnetron sputtering according to claim 7, wherein said sputtering is performed so as to form a film of the material of the sputtering target on an object, said object being positioned so as to oppose a principal surface of the sputtering target, and wherein the principal surface of the sputtering target has level surface portions, side by side, such that a second level surface portion protrudes above a first level surface portion toward said object, the second level surface portion forming a convex portion relative to said first level surface portion, so as to provide the electric and magnetic fields to be substantially parallel at boundary regions between the first and second level surface portions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method of planar magnetron sputtering according to claim 8, wherein the target members are non-magnetic.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method of planar magnetron sputtering according to claim 9, wherein said electric field and said magnetic field form a plasma above said sputtering target so as to provide said sputtering, and wherein said plasma is magnetically moved during said sputtering.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
119 words
A method of planar magnetron sputtering according to claim 1, wherein said sputtering is performed so as to form a film of the material of the sputtering target on an object, said object being positioned so as to oppose a principal suirface of the sputtering target, and wherein the principal surface of the sputtering target has level surface portions, side by side, such that a second level surface portion protrudes above a first level surface portion toward said object, the second level surface portion forming a convex portion relative to said first level surface portion, so as to provide the electric and magnetic fields to be substantially parallel at boundary regions between the first and second level surface portions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method of planar magnetron sputtering according to claim 1, wherein said electric field and said magnetic field form a plasma above said sputtering target so as to provide said sputtering, and wherein said plasma is magnetically moved during said sputtering.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
136 words
An apparatus for planar magnetron sputtering having a planar magentron sputtering electrode structure including a sputtering target structure consisting of a plurality of target members arranged side by side and having a principal surface to be subjected partially or entirely to sputtering, with each adjacent two of said plurality of target members meeting to form a boundary region therebetween, said, target members each being sputtered while magnetically moving a plasma generated above the principal surface corresponding to each target member, wherein a magnetic field for confining discharge and an electric field for accelerating ions do not perpendicularly intersect each other at the boundary regions between adjacent target members on said principal surfaces such that the boundary regions are non-erosion regions of target material by sputtering, whereby occurrence of abnormal discharge at the boundary regions is suppressed.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
136 words
An apparatus for planar magnetron sputtering having a planar magentron sputtering electrode structure including a sputtering target structure consisting of a plurality of target members arranged side by side and having a principal surface to be subjected partially or entirely to sputtering, with each adjacent two of said plurality of target members meeting to form a boundary region therebetween, said, target members each being sputtered while magnetically moving a plasma generated above the principal surface corresponding to each target member, wherein a magnetic field for confining discharge and an electric field for accelerating ions do not perpendicularly intersect each other at the boundary regions between adjacent target members on said principal surfaces such that the boundary regions are non-erosion regions of target material by sputtering, whereby occurrence of abnormal discharge at the boundary regions is suppressed.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
93 words
An apparatus for planar magnetron sputtering according to claim 13, wherein the principal surface of at least one of said plurality of target members is placed on a plane different from the principal surfaces of others of the target members, so as to form boundary regions between adjacent target members having principal surfaces in different planes, and the magnetic field for confining discharge and the electric field for accelerating ions do not perpendicularly intersect each other at each of the boundary regions between adjacent target members which has principal surfaces in different planes.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus for planar magnetron sputtering according to claim 13, wherein at least one of said plurality of target members is made of a material different from the other target members.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method of planar magnetron sputtering according to claim 1, wherein said sputtering target is in contact with a cooling member at plural points during sputtering.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method of planar magnetron sputtering according to claim 16, wherein said sputtering target consists of a plurality of target members.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method of planar magnetron sputtering according to claim 16, wherein said cooling member comprising a metal mesh.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method of planar magnetron sputtering according to claim 17, wherein at least one of said plurality of target members is in contact with at least one of the other target members at plural points.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus for planar magnetron sputtering according to claim 13, wherein said magnetic field for confining discharge and said electric field for accelerating ions are parallel to each other at the boundary regions.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
44 words
An apparatus for planar magnetron sputtering according to claim 14, wherein said magnetic field for confining discharge and said electric field for accelerating ions are parallel to each other at the boundary regions between adjacent target members which have principal surfaces in different planes.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus for planar magnetron sputtering according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of target members are fixed mutually, or to a target support member, through a plurality of contact points.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
132 words
An apparatus for planar magnetron sputtering according to claim 22, further comprising means for holding an object, on which object is to be formed a film of the material of the target members by the sputtering, the holding means being positioned so as to hold the object opposed to a principal surface of the plurality of target members; and wherein the principal surface has level surface portions, side by side, such that a second level surface portion protrudes above a first level surface portion toward the object, the second level surface portion forming a convex portion relative to said first level surface portion, so as to enable magnetic and electric fields that are not perpendicular to each other to be formed at boundary regions between the first and second level surface portions.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
128 words
A target structure for forming films by sputtering said target structure, said target structure comprising a plurality of target members and facing an object on which a film is to be formed, and wherein: a first target member is formed of a first conductive material and has a first level surface; a second target member is formed of a second conductive material and has a second level surface; said first and second target members being disposed side by side in such manner that said second level surface protrudes above said first level surface toward said object and forms a convex portion relative to said first level surface; and said plurality of target members are fixed mutually, or to a target support member, through a plurality of contact points.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
128 words
A target structure for forming films by sputtering said target structure, said target structure comprising a plurality of target members and facing an object on which a film is to be formed, and wherein: a first target member is formed of a first conductive material and has a first level surface; a second target member is formed of a second conductive material and has a second level surface; said first and second target members being disposed side by side in such manner that said second level surface protrudes above said first level surface toward said object and forms a convex portion relative to said first level surface; and said plurality of target members are fixed mutually, or to a target support member, through a plurality of contact points.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
A target structure according to claim 24, wherein said first conductive material is silicon and said second conductive material is molybdenum.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
21 words
A target structure according to claim 24, wherein said first conductive material is molybdenum and said second conductive material is silicon.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
76 words
A target structure according to claim 24, wherein said first and second target members are fixed to the target support member, which target support member is a backing plate formed of a metal adapted to be connected to a cathode for supporting said first and second target members and establishing an equipotential surface at its surface; and further comprising electromagnet means disposed below said backing plate for generating a variable magnetic field above said target members.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
42 words
A target structure according to claim 27, further comprising interconnection member formed of a soft metal of good electrical and thermal conductivity disposed at least at one of interconnections among said first target member, said second target member and said backing plate.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
35 words
A target structure according to claim 24, wherein said plurality of contact points is generated by providing unevenness on said plurality of target members or in said target support member and by compressing said members.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
22 words
A target structure according to claim 24, wherein said plurality of contact points is constituted by metallic means interposed between the members.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
14 words
A target structure according to claim 30, wherein said metallic means is metal mesh.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
16 words
A target structure according to claim 30, wherein said metallic means is a folded metal foil.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
15 words
A target structure according to claim 30, wherein said metallic means is made of copper.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-08-18 | 1990-02-17 | 1990-08-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-08-18 | 1994-02-17 | 1994-08-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-08-18 | 1998-02-17 | 1998-08-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |