Patent · US Expired

Sputter deposition utilizing pulsed cathode and substrate bias power

US6290821A · kind A · utility

66Cited by
12References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 23, 2000
Grant dateSep 18, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 23, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC23C14/568
  • WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A method for depositing on a substrate surface a thin film layer comprising a target material comprises providing a cathode including a target having a sputtering surface comprised of the target material, with the target sputtering surface facing the substrate surface with a space therebetween, and sputtering the target material onto the substrate surface by applying a plurality of negative voltage pulses to the cathode while simultaneously applying a bias voltage to the substrate. Embodiments include depositing thin film layers onto static or moving substrates and application of constant or time-varying substrate bias voltage. The invention finds particular utility in the formation of high purity layers in the automated manufacture of magnetic data/information storage and retrieval media.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.