# US 2009/0260975 A1 · Apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2009/0260975 A1 - Document ID: US20090260975A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/469,282 - Filed: 2009-05-20 - Published: 2009-10-22 - Earliest claimed: 2001-11-13 - Inventors: Mervyn Howard Davis - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20090260975A1 ## CPC - H01J 37/3473: {Composition uniformity or desired gradient} - C23C 14/3464: {using more than one target (C23C14/56 takes precedence)} - C23C 14/352: {using more than one target (C23C14/56 takes precedence)} - C23C 14/568: {Transferring the substrates through a series of coating stations (C23C14/562 takes precedence)} - 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 A vacuum sputtering apparatus capable of depositing a plurality of thin film layers on a substrate, the apparatus comprising: a vacuum chamber (1) having gas inlet means and gas evacuation means; a substrate support table (2) arranged to be rotatable about at least one axis perpendicular to the plane of the table; means for rotating the substrate support table about said at least one axis; a plurality of sputtering targets (5) spaced around the walls of the chamber, each sputtering target having electrode means associated therewith; and means for altering the position of the substrate support table relative to each one of the plurality of sputtering targets (4) such that in use a substrate placed on the substrate support table may have a film deposited thereon of atoms sputtered from at least one of the said plurality of targets and subsequently, following alteration of the position of the substrate support table, have at least one further film deposited thereon by exposure to atoms form at least one other of said plurality of targets. A method of depositing multi-layer materials on a substrate and a method of controlling stoichiometry of deposited alloys are also provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vacuum sputtering apparatus capable of depositing a plurality of thin film layers on a substrate, the apparatus comprising: (a) a vacuum chamber having gas inlet means and gas evacuation means; (b) a substrate support table arranged to be rotatable about at least one axis perpendicular to the plane of the table; (c) means for rotating the substrate support table about said at least one axis; (d) a plurality of sputtering targets spaced around the walls of the chamber, each sputtering target having electrode means associated therewith; (e) means for altering the position of the substrate support table relative to each one of the plurality of sputtering targets such that in use a substrate placed on the substrate support table may have a film deposited thereon of atoms sputtered from at least two of the said plurality of targets and subsequently, following alteration of the position of the substrate support table, have at least one further film deposited thereon by exposure to atoms form at least one other of said plurality of targets; and (f) wherein each said target and associated electrode means arrangement is provided with a respective shutter to prevent line of sight deposition from another electrode. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A vacuum sputtering apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of targets is of different material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A vacuum sputtering apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the substrate support table is moved longitudinally within the vacuum chamber. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A vacuum sputtering apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the targets are located on more than one wall of the vacuum chamber. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A vacuum sputtering apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the vacuum chamber is rhombodedron and one or more targets are located on each of a plurality of faces. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A vacuum sputtering apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the vacuum chamber is cuboid and one or more targets are located on a plurality of faces. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) A vacuum sputtering apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the substrate support table is rotated about an axis orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the support. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A vacuum sputtering apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the rotation is through 360°. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A vacuum sputtering apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus includes means for introducing the substrate into the vacuum chamber. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A vacuum sputtering apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the electrode and target arrangement may be telescopic. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A vacuum sputtering apparatus according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the shutters is a dustbin lid style shutter on a helical drive. ### Claim 12 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. ### Claim 13 (depends on 15) A method according to claim 15 wherein the table may be orientated such that it is parallel to the electrode/target arrangement or such that it is an angle thereto. ### Claim 14 (depends on 15) A method according to claim 15 wherein the change in orientation of the substrate support table is a rotation. ### Claim 15 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. ### Claim 16 (depends on 18) A method according to claim 18 wherein the stoichiometry is adjusted by adjusting the inclination of the substrate support table and/or the relative power to the electrodes associated with each of the targets.