Magnetron sputtering apparatus and control method for timely detecting target shorting by monitoring electrical resistance between PVD target cathode and electrical ground in real time

A method for controlling an apparatus of magnetron sputtering for thin film deposition;

• wherein the apparatus comprises:
• a chamber for thin film deposition therein, configured to house a target configured to be held by a target holder within the chamber, and a pedestal configured to support a substrate thereon;
• wherein, the pedestal and the target are arranged to be facing each other;
• a magnetron configured to generate a magnetic field around a surface of the target, for electron confinement, and to facilitate ignition and maintenance of plasma;
• a main power supply, in electrical connection with the target, wherein the main power supply is configured to apply power to the target to generate an electrical field inside the chamber, the electrical field is regulated to influence and ionize at least a part of atoms of a process gas within the chamber to ignite the plasma, and the electrical field is capable of directing a part of ions in the plasma toward the target;
• and
• a resistance measurement meter in electrical connection with both an electrical ground point and the target, wherein the resistance measurement meter is configured to measure the electrical resistance between the electrical ground point and the target;
• and
• wherein, the method comprises:
• measuring, with at least one processor, a resistance value R1L between the target and the ground point at a low voltage level, and a resistance value R1H between the target and the ground point at a high voltage level, when the main power supply is not applying power to the target;
• and
• sending, with at least one processor, alarm information if R1L or R1H is not greater than a preset resistance value.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out a method for controlling an apparatus of magnetron sputtering for thin film deposition;

• wherein the apparatus comprises:
• a chamber for thin film deposition therein, configured to house a target configured to be held by a target holder within the chamber, and a pedestal configured to support a substrate thereon;
• wherein, the pedestal and the target are arranged to be facing each other;
• a magnetron configured to generate a magnetic field around a surface of the target, for electron confinement, and to facilitate ignition and sustaining of plasma;
• a main power supply, in electrical connection with the target, wherein the main power supply is configured to apply power to the target to generate an electrical field inside the chamber, the electrical field is regulated to influence and ionize at least a part of atoms of a process gas within the chamber to ignite the plasma, and the electrical field is capable of directing a part of ions in the plasma toward the target;
• and
• a resistance measurement meter in electrical connection with both an electrical ground point and the target, wherein the resistance measurement meter is configured to measure the electrical resistance between the electrical ground point and the target;
• and
• wherein, the method comprises:
• measuring, with the at least one processor, a resistance value R1L between the target and the ground point at a low voltage level, and a resistance value R1H between the target and the ground point at a high voltage level, when the main power supply is not applying power to the target;
• and
• sending, with the at least one processor, alarm information, if R1L or R1H is not greater than a preset resistance value.