Process for producing thin layers by means of reactive cathode sputtering and apparatus for implementing the process

US5476838A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Roger Wordenweber · Niederzier, DE
• Ursus Krüger · Berlin, DE
• Rolf Kutzner · Jülich, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 14, 1993
• Grant date: Dec 19, 1995
• Expiry date: Oct 14, 2013

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S505/816
• WIPO field: Surface technology, coating
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for producing thin films in which the pressure of the process gas is kept constant in a process chamber with a gas inlet and outlet, a target and a substrate, while material is sputtered from the target and deposited on the substrate. The invention also relates to a process for producing thin films. It is the purpose of the invention to create a process providing a more homogenous film. According to the invention, to this end the process gas is caused to reach the plasma. Alternatively, either one or several emission lines may be spectroscopically detected in a spatial region and, after a desired cross sectional shape has been set, it is kept constant in time by subsequently regulating the process gas mixing ratio. It is also possible to attain the set aim by arranging a probe in such a way that charged atoms of the process gas are detected and, to attain the desired homogeneity, the voltage at the probe is constantly regulated by subsequently adjusting the process gas mixing ratio.