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US 11,230,761 B2Granted
Deposition system with a multi-cathode
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsVibhu Jindal, Sanjay Bhat
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A deposition system, and a method of operation thereof are disclosed. The deposition system comprises a cathode assembly comprising a rotating magnet assembly including a plurality of outer peripheral magnets surrounding an inner peripheral magnet.
Claims18
A physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber comprising:
- a plurality of cathode assemblies;
- each of the plurality of cathode assemblies comprising a motor which rotationally drives a motor shaft which rotates a magnet assembly coupled to the motor shaft, the magnet assembly comprising a plurality of outer peripheral magnets surrounding an inner magnet, the magnet assembly mounted to a mounting plate and configured to rotate during a physical vapor deposition process, the magnet assembly being slidably mounted to the mounting plate to allow the magnet assembly to be moved toward and away from a peripheral edge of the mounting plate;
- each of the plurality of cathode assemblies further comprising a housing surrounding a conductor which surrounds the magnet assembly and the mounting plate, the conductor including a coolant channel to cool each of the plurality of cathode assemblies;
- and
- a balancing weight mounted to the mounting plate opposite the magnet assembly.
2 more elements
A physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber comprising:
- a plurality of rotating cathode assemblies;
- each of the rotating cathode assemblies comprising a motor which rotationally drives a motor shaft which rotates a magnet assembly coupled to the motor shaft, the magnet assembly comprising a plurality of outer peripheral magnets surrounding an inner magnet;
- a mounting plate comprising mounting slots, the magnet assembly being slidably mounted to the mounting plate to allow the magnet assembly to be moved toward and away from a peripheral edge of the mounting plate, the mounting plate configured to rotate during a physical vapor deposition process;
- and
- a balancing weight mounted to the mounting plate opposite the magnet assembly.
2 more elements
A method of depositing a material layer comprising:
- placing a substrate in a multi-cathode PVD chamber comprising a plurality of cathode assemblies;
- rotating a portion of each of the plurality of cathode assemblies using a motor to rotationally drive a motor shaft which rotates a mounting plate, a magnet assembly, and a balancing weight mounted to the mounting plate opposite the magnet assembly, the magnet assembly comprising a plurality of outer peripheral magnets surrounding an inner magnet, the outer peripheral magnets and the inner magnet mounted to the mounting plate, the mounting plate comprising a plurality of mounting slots, and the magnet assembly being slidably mounted to the mounting plate to allow the magnet assembly to be moved toward and away from a peripheral edge of the mounting plate;
- cooling each of the plurality of the cathode assemblies with coolant in a coolant channel within a conductor surrounded by a housing, the conductor surrounding the magnet assembly and the mounting plate;
- and
- depositing the material layer on the substrate.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.