Control of erosion profile and process characteristics in magnetron sputtering by geometrical shaping of the sputtering target
US6500321B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 2, 2000 |
| Grant date | Dec 31, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 2, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01J37/347
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus and method for controlling and optimizing a non-planar target shape of a sputtering magnetron system are employed to minimize the redeposition of the sputtered material and optimize target erosion. The methodology is based on the integration of sputtered material from each point of the target according to its solid angle view of the rest of the target. The prospective target's geometry is optimized by analytically comparing and evaluating the methodology's results of one target geometry against that of another geometry, or by simply altering the first geometry and recalculating and comparing the results of the first geometry against the altered geometry. The target geometries may be of many different shapes including trapezoidal, cylindrical, parabolic, and elliptical, depending upon the optimum process parameters desired. A sputtering system is developed using this methodology, having a main magnet stack, a rotating magnet, a target having selected target shapes optimized for controlling erosion, downstream magnets, a substrate, and an electric field induced plasma stream.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.