Process and apparatus for sputter etching or sputter coating
US6248219A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 6, 1995 |
| Grant date | Jun 19, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 6, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J37/3402
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A problem which occurs in the sputtering of a substance by means of a high-frequency discharge between two electrodes, is that both electrode surfaces are sputtered away when the electrode surface that is actually not to be sputtered is not at least ten times as large as the surface of the electrode carrying the substance. To prevent an undesirable cosputtering, in on embodiment, a vacuum recipient at a selected gas pressure has first and a second electrodes which are selected so that their surface areas form a ratio R.sub.A 12 such that 0.3.ltoreq.R.sub.A12.ltoreq.3. A discharge space in the vacuum recipient is confined to the electrode surfaces. An RF plasma discharge is generated in the discharge space by applying an electric RF field between the electrode surface, so that a first dark space region with a first drop of time-averaged electric potential and a second dark space region with a second drop of time-averaged electric potential, are respectively provided adjacent each electrode. The surface of an object to be coated is disposed in the second dark space region adjacent said larger electrode surface so that the surface of the object is at a floating electric potential to p…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.