Mechanism for varying the spacing between sputter magnetron and target

US7674360B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Applied Materials, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Ilyoung Richard Hong · San Jose, US
• Donny Young · Cupertino, US
• Michael Rosenstein · Sunnyvale, US
• Robert B. Lowrance · Los Gatos, US
• Daniel C. Lubben · San Jose, US
• Michael Miller · Sunnyvale, US
• Peijun Ding · San Jose, US
• Sreekrishnan Sankaranarayan · Santa Clara, US
• Goichi Yoshidome · Emeryville, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 16, 2004
• Grant date: Mar 9, 2010
• Expiry date: May 9, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01J37/3455
• WIPO field: Surface technology, coating
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A lift mechanism for and a corresponding use of a magnetron in a plasma sputter reactor. A magnetron rotating about the target axis is controllably lifted away from the back of the target to compensate for sputter erosion, thereby maintaining a constant magnetic field and resultant plasma density at the sputtered surface, which is particularly important for stable operation with a small magnetron, for example, one executing circular or planetary motion about the target axis. The lift mechanism can include a lead screw axially fixed to the magnetron support shaft and a lead nut engaged therewith to raise the magnetron as the lead nut is turned. Alternatively, the support shaft is axially fixed to a vertically moving slider. The amount of lift may be controlled according a recipe based on accumulated power applied to the target or by monitoring electrical characteristics of the target.