Sputtering method and apparatus
US5733418A · kind A · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 7, 1996 |
| Grant date | Mar 31, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 7, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J37/34
- WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for sputtering particles from a target as a film on a substrate. The target and substrate are maintained in a main housing in a first vacuum. The target is biased with a first negative voltage to effect a target bias. A plasma is produced in a cathode box spaced from the target, with the plasma being injected between the target and substrate to effect sputtering by bombarding the target with positive ions and liberating target particles for condensing on the substrate to form the film. The cathode box includes a cathode biased at a second negative voltage to effect a cathode bias, and a sputtering gas is supplied adjacent to the cathode for producing the plasma. Plasma production in the cathode box is decoupled from sputtering at the target for increasing sputtering yield and rate. And, the target may be contoured for focussing the sputtered particles on the substrate.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.