Patent · US Active

Magnetron having continuously variable radial position

US7736473B2 · kind B2 · utility

8Cited by
14References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 14, 2005
Grant dateJun 15, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 19, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J37/3408
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A continuously variable multi-position magnetron that is rotated about a central axis in back of a sputtering target at a freely selected radius. The position is dynamically controlled from the outside, for example, through a hydraulic actuator connected between a pivoting arm supporting the magnetron and an arm fixed to the shaft, by two coaxial shafts independent controllable from the outside and supporting the magnetron through a frog-leg mechanism, or a cable connected between the pivoting arms and moved by an external slider. The magnetron can be rotated at two, three, or more discrete radii or be moved in a continuous spiral pattern.

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