Apparatus

A method of depositing multi-layer materials on a substrate by vacuum sputtering comprising:

• (a) providing a substrate on a substrate support table which is rotatable about at least one axis perpendicular to the plane of the substrate and which is located within a vacuum chamber;
• (b) introducing gas at a suitable pressure into the chamber;
• (c) providing a plurality of targets each having electrode means associated therewith spaced around the vacuum chamber, wherein each said target and associated electrode means is provided with a respective shutter to prevent line of sight deposition from another electrode;
• (d) orientating the substrate support table such that it is in an appropriate orientation for deposition to occur from at least two of said targets and associated electrodes;
• (e) causing the substrate support table to rotate;
• (f) removing said respective shutter from said at least two targets and associated electrode means from which deposition is to occur;
• (g) providing power to said electrodes associated with said at least two targets such that the gas forms a plasma and the ions therefrom cause atoms to be sputtered from the at least two targets and deposited onto the substrate to form a first layer;
• (h) removing power from the said electrodes;
• (i) replacing said respective shutter on said at least two target and electrode arrangements from which deposition has occurred;
• (j) adjusting the orientation of the substrate support table such that deposition can occur from at least one other of said targets and associated electrodes;
• (k) removing said respective shutter from said at least one other of said target and associated electrode means from which deposition is to occur;
• (l) applying power to said electrodes associated with said other target such that a further layer is formed on the previous layer;
• (m) replacing said respective shutter on said at least one other target and electrode arrangement from which deposition has occurred;
• and
• (n) repeating steps (j) and (m) as required.

A method of controlling the stoichiometry of deposited alloys on a substrate by vacuum sputtering comprising:

• (a) providing a substrate on a substrate support table which is rotatable about at least on axis perpendicular to the plane of the substrate and which is located within a vacuum chamber;
• (b) introducing gas at a suitable pressure into the chamber;
• (c) providing a plurality of targets each having electrode means associated therewith spaced around the vacuum chamber;
• (d) orientating the substrate support table such that it is in an appropriate orientation for deposition to occur from two or more of said targets and associated electrodes wherein each said target and associated electrode means is provided with a respective shutter to prevent line of sight deposition from another electrode;
• (e) causing the substrate support table to rotate;
• (f) removing said respective shutter from two or more of said targets and associated electrode means from which deposition is to occur;
• and
• (g) providing power to said electrodes associated with said two or more targets such that the gas forms a plasma and causes atoms to be sputtered from the two or more targets and deposited onto the substrate to form an alloy on the substrate.