Pulsed sputtering with a small rotating magnetron
US6413382B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 3, 2000 |
| Grant date | Jul 2, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 3, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J37/3455
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A magnetron sputter reactor having a target that is pulsed with a duty cycle of less than 10% and preferably less than 1% and further having a small magnetron of area less than 20% of the target area rotating about the target center, whereby a very high plasma density is produced during the pulse adjacent to the area of the magnetron. The power pulsing frequency needs to be desynchronized from the rotation frequency so that the magnetron does not overlie the same area of the magnetron during different pulses. Advantageously, the power pulses are delivered above a DC background level sufficient to continue to excite the plasma so that no ignition is required for each pulse.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.