# US 12,014,911 B2 · Sputtering apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,014,911 B2 - Document ID: US12014911B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/206,738 - Filed: 2021-03-19 - Published: 2021-09-23 - Granted: 2024-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-23 - Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited - Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited - Inventors: Shota Ishibashi; Tatsuo Hirasawa; Hiroyuki Toshima; Hiroyuki Iwashita - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12014911B2 ## CPC - H01J 37/3447: {Collimators, shutters, apertures} - C23C 14/044: {using masks to redistribute rather than totally prevent coating, e.g. producing thickness gradient} - C23C 14/225: {Oblique incidence of vaporised material on substrate} - C23C 14/3464: {using more than one target (C23C14/56 takes precedence)} - H01J 37/3417: {Arrangements} - H01J 2237/0458: movable, i.e. for changing between differently sized apertures - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) ## Abstract An example of a sputtering apparatus comprises a first target and a second target that emit sputter particles, a substrate support configured to support a substrate, a shielding plate disposed between the first and the second target and the substrate and having a through-hole through which the sputter particles pass, and an obstructing mechanism. The through-hole has a first opening region through which the sputter particles emitted from the fit target pass and a second opening region through which the sputter particles emitted from the second target pass, and the obstructing mechanism is configured to obstruct the sputter particles emitted from the first target in passing through the second opening region and the sputter particles emitted in the second target from passing through the first opening region. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sputtering apparatus comprising: a first target and a second target that emit sputter particles; a substrate support configured to support a substrate; a shielding plate disposed between the first and the second target and the substrate and having a through-hole through which the sputter particles pass, the through-hole having a first opening region through which the sputter particles emitted from the first target pass and a second opening region through which the sputter particles emitted from the second target pass; and an obstructing mechanism configured to obstruct the sputter particles emitted from the first target in passing through the second opening region and the sputter particles emitted in the second target from passing through the first opening region, wherein the through-hole has a first edge provided with a first adjusting member configured to adjust an opening area of the through-hole and a second edge provided with a second adjusting member configured to adjust the opening area of the through-hole, wherein the first opening region has the first edge and does not have the second edge, and wherein the second opening region has the second edge and does not have the first edge. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sputtering apparatus of claim 1, wherein the obstructing mechanism is an obstructing plate disposed above the through-hole. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The sputtering apparatus of claim 1, wherein the obstructing mechanism is a shield member that is spaced apart from the shielding plate and has a plate portion that covers at least a part of the through-hole. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The sputtering apparatus of claim 1, wherein the through-hole further has a third opening region through which the sputter particles emitted from the first target pass and a fourth opening region through which the sputter particles emitted from the second target pass, the first opening region, the second opening region, the third opening region, and the fourth opening region are arranged in that order in a transfer direction of the substrate, and the obstructing mechanism obstructs the sputter particles emitted from the first target in passing through the fourth opening region and obstructs the sputter particles emitted from the second target in passing through the third opening region. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The sputtering apparatus of claim 4, wherein the obstructing mechanism has an obstructing plate standing upward from the shielding plate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The sputtering apparatus of claim 4, wherein the obstructing mechanism has a shield member that is spaced apart from the shielding plate and has a plate portion that covers at least a part of the through-hole. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The sputtering apparatus of claim 5, wherein the obstructing mechanism has a shield member that is spaced apart from the shielding plate and has a plate portion that covers at least a part of the through-hole.