# US 2013/0156967 A1 · Spray rejuvenation of sputtering targets > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0156967 A1 - Document ID: US20130156967A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/713,632 - Filed: 2012-12-13 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-16 - Inventors: Christopher Michaluk; William Loewenthal; Gary Rozak; Marc Abouaf; Patrick Hogan; Steven A. Miller - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130156967A1 ## CPC - C23C 14/3414: {Metallurgical or chemical aspects of target preparation, e.g. casting, powder metallurgy} - C23C 14/3407: {Cathode assembly for sputtering apparatus, e.g. Target} - C23C 24/04: Impact or kinetic deposition of particles - 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 In various embodiments, used sputtering targets are refurbished at least in part by maintaining a large obliquity angle between the spray-deposition gun and the depressed surface contour of the target during spray deposition of the target material. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of refurbishing an eroded sputtering target having an eroded region with a depressed surface contour that is non-planar and that defines a maximum surface depth, the eroded sputtering target comprising a target material, the method comprising: positioning a spray-deposition gun over the eroded region and initiating spray deposition of a jet of particles of the target material at a first location to partially fill the eroded region, an obliquity angle between the spray-deposition gun and the eroded region immediately thereunder being approximately 45° or greater; and substantially filling the eroded region by spray-depositing particles of the target material while (i) translating the spray-deposition gun relative to the eroded sputtering target, (ii) changing the obliquity angle to a plurality of different values selected from the range of approximately 45° to approximately 90°, and (iii) at each location over the eroded sputtering target, controlling a deposition rate of the particles of the target material based on a depth of the eroded region at the location. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the obliquity angle at the first location is greater than approximately 60°. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the maximum surface depth of the eroded sputter target prior to spray deposition is less than 9 mm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the maximum surface depth of the eroded sputter target prior to spray deposition is less than 6 mm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein spray depositing the particles of the target material comprises cold spraying. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein (i) the obliquity angle at the first location has a first value, and (ii) while substantially filling the eroded region, the obliquity angle changes (a) from the first value to approximately 90° and (b) thereafter, from approximately 90° to approximately the first value. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising annealing the sputtering target after substantially filling the eroded region. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein substantially filling the eroded region comprises overfilling the eroded region to form a refurbished sputter target having a non-planar surface, and further comprising planarizing the surface of the refurbished sputter target. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the spray-deposition gun is translated relative to the eroded sputtering target at a substantially constant rate notwithstanding changes in depth of the eroded region during spray deposition. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the spray-deposition gun is translated relative to the eroded sputtering target at a substantially constant rate notwithstanding changes in the obliquity angle during spray deposition. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the deposition rate of the particles of the target material comprises controlling a rate of the translation of the spray-deposition gun relative to the eroded sputtering target. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the deposition rate of the particles of the target material comprises controlling a rate of particle flow to the spray-deposition gun. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the spray-deposition gun is translated relative to the eroded sputtering target only rectilinearly. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the target material is an alloy or mixture of a plurality of different elements. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring a depth profile of the eroded region prior to spray deposition.