Rotating hollow cathode magnetron
OwnerCharles S. Guenzerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hollow cathode sputtering target and associated magnetron. The target includes a tubular sidewall and a circular roof forming a cylindrical vault arranged about an axis. The sidewall is surrounded by a first set of magnets of a first magnetic polarity along the axis. A second set of magnets, disposed in back of the roof, and asymmetric and rotatable about the axis, includes an outer pole preferably of the first magnetic polarity surrounding an inner pole of the opposed magnetic polarity and of lesser total magnetic intensity. Optionally, the roof and sidewall are separate members having individual power supplies. Further optionally, the first set of magnets are asymmetric and rotatable with the second set of magnets about the axis.
Claims32
A hollow cathode sputtering magnetron, comprising:
- a target having a generally right cylindrical vault arranged about a central axis and including a cylindrical sidewall portion and a circular roof portion;
- a sidewall magnet assembly comprising at least one sidewall magnet of a first magnetic polarity disposed radially outside of said cylindrical sidewall portion with respect to said central axis;
- a roof magnet assembly disposed on a side of said roof portion opposite said vault, being asymmetric and rotatable about said central axis, and including
- an inner pole of a second magnetic polarity along said central axis and having a first total magnetic intensity and
- an outer pole of a third magnetic polarity opposite said second magnetic polarity surrounding said inner pole and having a second total magnetic intensity of at least 150% of said first total magnetic intensity.
A hollow cathode magnetron, comprising:
- a roof target having an inner face that is substantially circularly symmetric out a central axis;
- a first magnet assembly disposed in back of said roof target;
- a first selective power supply connected to said roof target;
- a sidewall target having at least one inner surface extending parallel to said central axis and being substantially circularly symmetric about said central axis and separated from said roof target by a gap and forming therewith a substantially circularly symmetrical vault;
- a second magnet assembly disposed in back of said sidewall target;
- and
- a second selective power supply connected to said sidewall target.
A hollow cathode sputtering magnetron, comprising:
- a target having a substantially right cylindrical vault arranged about a central axis and including a cylindrical sidewall portion and a circular roof portion;
- a sidewall magnet assembly comprising a plurality of sidewall magnets asymmetrically arranged about said central axis, disposed radially outside of said tubular sidewall portion with respect to said central axis, and rotatable about said central axis;
- a roof magnet assembly disposed on a side of said roof portion opposite said vault.
A hollow cathode target assembly having vault arranged about a central axis and comprising:
- at least one sidewall target extending along said central axis and arranged about said central axis;
- and
- a roof target extending perpendicularly to said central axis;
- wherein said sidewall and roof targets are configured to be separated by at least one electrical insulating gap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.