Systems and methods for a target and backing plate assembly

A method of forming a target and backing plate assembly, said method comprising:

• providing a target and a backing plate, said target and said backing plate being composed of different metals, said metals each having a hardness that is different from the other metal whereby one of said target and backing plate is softer than the other;
• positioning said target and backing plate adjacent each other so that they mate along an interfacial area;
• providing a plurality of differing depth level locations within said interfacial area along which said target and backing plate mate;
• providing at least one protruding member and at least two receiving channels on one of said target and backing plate and a negatively angled cavity in the other of said target and backing plate at each of said depth level locations, wherein at least one protruding member defines a post extending upwardly from one of target and said backing plate and away from said receiving channels and wherein a wall height of said post as measured perpendicular from a bottom surface of said receiving channels is greater than a cavity depth of said corresponding negatively angled cavity, said cavity depth measured by a vector perpendicular to a top surface of said negatively angled cavity;
• pressure consolidating said target and backing plate under selected pressure and temperature conditions to form a diffusion bond between said target and said backing plate at each of said depth level locations while forming a mechanical interlock at each of said depth level locations defined by filling of the softer of said target or backing plate in said negatively angled cavities.