Patent US5382339A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5382339A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Shield and collimator pasting deposition chamber with a side pocket for pasting the bottom of the collimator
Assignee: Applied Materials Inc
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Filing: 1993-09-17
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Granted: 1995-01-17
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Expires: 2013-09-17
Abstract
Abstract A deposition chamber used in the physical vapor deposition of wafers has a side pocket for pasting the bottom of a collimator. To prolong the useful life of a collimator it is rotated into the side pocket and the bottom is pasted with a pasting material which is resistant to cracking and flaking. A series of wafers are cycled through the deposition chamber. While each wafer is in the deposition chamber a deposition material is sputtered onto its surface. After a predetermined number of wafers are sputtered in the deposition chamber a pasting cycle is run. During the pasting cycle, a pasting material is sputtered over the deposition chamber and the top of the collimator. The collimator is then moved into the side pocket of the deposition chamber and a pasting material is sputtered from a second target over the bottom of the collimator. The pasting material serves to resist cracking and flaking of the deposition material and thus prolongs the useful life of the shields in the deposition chamber and the collimator.
Inventors
- 👤 Julio A. Aranovich
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 05:21
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/34; H01J37/3411; H01J37/3447; C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/22; C23C14/34; C23C14/56; C23C14/564; C23C14/566
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
135 words
An apparatus comprising: a deposition chamber having a primary chamber and a side pocket; a collimator and a first target of a first deposition material for use in the physical vapor deposition onto a wafer in the primary chamber; a second target of a second deposition material positioned in the side pocket of the deposition chamber for deposition on an underside of the collimator; a primary plasma generator in the first chamber for generating plasma ions therein and for bombarding the first target with ions for sputtering the first deposition material; a second plasma generator in the side pocket for generating plasma ions therein and for bombarding the second target with ions for sputtering the second deposition material; and a positioner for selectively positioning the collimator in either the primary chamber or the side pocket.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
135 words
An apparatus comprising: a deposition chamber having a primary chamber and a side pocket; a collimator and a first target of a first deposition material for use in the physical vapor deposition onto a wafer in the primary chamber; a second target of a second deposition material positioned in the side pocket of the deposition chamber for deposition on an underside of the collimator; a primary plasma generator in the first chamber for generating plasma ions therein and for bombarding the first target with ions for sputtering the first deposition material; a second plasma generator in the side pocket for generating plasma ions therein and for bombarding the second target with ions for sputtering the second deposition material; and a positioner for selectively positioning the collimator in either the primary chamber or the side pocket.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a shield and means for retracting the shield as the collimator is moved between the primary chamber and the side pocket.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first plasma generator comprises: a. a means for evacuating air from the primary chamber; b. a valve for introducing a partial pressure of a gas into the primary chamber; and c. a voltage supply for forming a plasma of the gas,
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus chamber as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first plasma generator comprises a voltage supply biased for attracting ions from the plasma to the first target to sputter the deposition material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second plasma generator comprises: a. a means for evacuating air from the side pocket; b. a valve for introducing a partial pressure of a gas into the side pocket; and c. a voltage supply for forming a plasma of the gas.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said second plasma generator comprises a voltage supply biased for attracting ions from the plasma to the second target to sputter the deposition material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first deposition material is a reactive compound formed from a first element obtained from the first target and a second element obtained from a second gas introducible into the deposition chamber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said collimator is a rotatably positionable collimator having a first position within the primary chamber and a second position within the side pocket.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the positioner comprises a rotatable axis for selectively positioning the collimator between the primary chamber and the side pocket.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
99 words
An apparatus comprising: a deposition chamber having a primary chamber and a secondary chamber; a collimator and a first target of deposition material for use in the physical vapor deposition onto a wafer in the primary chamber; a second target positioned in the secondary chamber of the deposition chamber for deposition on an underside of the collimator; means for bombarding the first target with ions for sputtering the deposition material; means for bombarding the second target with ions for sputtering a pasting material; and means for selectively positioning the collimator in either the primary chamber or the secondary chamber.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
99 words
An apparatus comprising: a deposition chamber having a primary chamber and a secondary chamber; a collimator and a first target of deposition material for use in the physical vapor deposition onto a wafer in the primary chamber; a second target positioned in the secondary chamber of the deposition chamber for deposition on an underside of the collimator; means for bombarding the first target with ions for sputtering the deposition material; means for bombarding the second target with ions for sputtering a pasting material; and means for selectively positioning the collimator in either the primary chamber or the secondary chamber.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 further comprising a shield and means for retracting the shield as the collimator is moved between the primary and secondary chambers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
68 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the means for bombarding the first target with ions comprises: a. means for evacuating air from the primary chamber; b. means for introducing a partial pressure of a gas into the primary chamber; c. means for forming a plasma of the gas; and d. means for attracting ions from the plasma to the first target to sputter the deposition material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 further comprising a first magnetron positioned above the first target for shaping the plasma and a flow of ions to the first target.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
68 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the means for bombarding the second target with ions comprises: a. means for evacuating air from the secondary chamber; b. means for introducing a partial pressure of a gas into the secondary chamber; c. means for forming a plasma of the gas; and d. means for attracting ions from the plasma to the second target to sputter the pasting material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 further comprising a second magnetron positioned below the second target for shaping the plasma and a flow of ions to the second target.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the deposition material is a reactive compound formed from a first element obtained from the first target and a second element obtained from a second gas introducible into the deposition chamber.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 further comprising a rotatably positionable collimator having a first position and a second position.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the means for selectively positioning the collimator comprises a rotatable axis for selectively positioning it between the primary and secondary chambers.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
126 words
A method for the physical vapor deposition onto a plurality of wafers inside of a deposition chamber, comprising the steps of: positioning a first target of a deposition material near the top of the chamber; positioning a second target of a pasting material in a side pocket of the chamber; bombarding the first target with ions to generate particles of said deposition material which pass through a collimator for depositing material form the target onto a predetermined number of wafers sequentially; and periodically moving the collimator into the side pocket of the chamber and bombarding the second target with ions for depositing pasting material from the second target onto the bottom of the collimator, wherein this step is performed with no wafer in the deposition chamber.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
126 words
A method for the physical vapor deposition onto a plurality of wafers inside of a deposition chamber, comprising the steps of: positioning a first target of a deposition material near the top of the chamber; positioning a second target of a pasting material in a side pocket of the chamber; bombarding the first target with ions to generate particles of said deposition material which pass through a collimator for depositing material form the target onto a predetermined number of wafers sequentially; and periodically moving the collimator into the side pocket of the chamber and bombarding the second target with ions for depositing pasting material from the second target onto the bottom of the collimator, wherein this step is performed with no wafer in the deposition chamber.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method as claimed in claim 19 further comprising the step of repeating the steps of bombarding the first target and moving the collimator.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
117 words
An apparatus comprising a deposition chamber for use in the physical vapor deposition onto a wafer, the chamber comprising: a. a first chamber volume including: i. a first target of deposition material, and ii. means for bombarding the first target of deposition material with ions for sputtering the deposition material onto a wafer; b. a second chamber volume coupled to the first chamber volume, the second chamber volume including: i. a second target of pasting material, and ii. means for bombarding the second target of pasting material with ions for sputtering the pasting material; and c. a moveable collimator having a first position within the first chamber volume and a second position within the second chamber volume.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
117 words
An apparatus comprising a deposition chamber for use in the physical vapor deposition onto a wafer, the chamber comprising: a. a first chamber volume including: i. a first target of deposition material, and ii. means for bombarding the first target of deposition material with ions for sputtering the deposition material onto a wafer; b. a second chamber volume coupled to the first chamber volume, the second chamber volume including: i. a second target of pasting material, and ii. means for bombarding the second target of pasting material with ions for sputtering the pasting material; and c. a moveable collimator having a first position within the first chamber volume and a second position within the second chamber volume.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
70 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein the means for bombarding the first target with ions comprises: a. means for evacuating air from the first chamber area; b. means for introducing a partial pressure of a gas into the first chamber area; c. means for forming a plasma of the gas; and d. means for attracting ions from the plasma to the first target to sputter the deposition material.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 22 further comprising a first magnetron positioned above the target for shaping the plasma and a flow of ions to the first target.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
71 words
The deposition chamber as claimed in claim 23 wherein the means for bombarding the second target with ions comprises: a. means for evacuating air from the second chamber area; b. means for introducing a partial pressure of a gas into the second chamber area; c. means for forming a plasma of the gas; and d. means for attracting ions from the plasma to the second target to sputter the pasting material.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 24 further comprising a second magnetron positioned below the second target for shaping the plasma and a flow of ions to the second target.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus as claimed in claim 25 wherein the deposition material is a reactive compound formed from a first element obtained from the first target and a second element obtained from a second gas introducible into the deposition chamber.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-01-16 | 1998-07-18 | 1999-01-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-01-16 | 2002-07-18 | 2003-01-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-01-16 | 2006-07-18 | 2007-01-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |