# US 2019/0316249 A1 · Electrically and magnetically enhanced ionized physical vapor deposition unbalanced sputtering source

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- Number: US 2019/0316249 A1
- Document ID: US20190316249A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/284,327
- Filed: 2019-02-25
- Published: 2019-10-17
- Earliest claimed: 2015-12-21
- Assignees: IonQuest Corp.
- Applicants: IonQuest Corp.
- Inventors: Bassam Hanna ABRAHAM; Roman CHISTYAKOV
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190316249A1

## CPC

- C23C 14/35: by application of a magnetic field, e.g. magnetron sputtering {(C23C14/3457 takes precedence)}
- C23C 14/0036: {Reactive sputtering}
- C23C 14/0605: {Carbon}
- C23C 14/081: {of aluminium, magnesium or beryllium}
- C23C 14/165: {by cathodic sputtering}
- C23C 14/3407: {Cathode assembly for sputtering apparatus, e.g. Target}
- C23C 14/345: {using substrate bias}
- C23C 14/3485: {using pulsed power to the target}
- C23C 14/358: {Inductive energy}
- C23C 14/541: {Heating or cooling of the substrates}
- H01J 37/3405: {Magnetron sputtering}
- H01J 37/3423: {Shape}
- H01J 37/3458: {Electromagnets in particular for cathodic sputtering apparatus (electromagnets in general H01F7/06)}
- H10P 14/44: Physical vapour deposition [PVD]
- H10W 20/033: {in openings in dielectrics}
- H10W 20/043: {for electroplating}
- 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)
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

A method of depositing a layer on a substrate includes applying a first magnetic field to a cathode target, electrically coupling the cathode target to a first high power pulse resonance alternating current (AC) power supply, positioning an additional cylindrical cathode target electrode around the cathode, applying a second magnetic field to the additional cylindrical cathode target electrode, electrically coupling the additional cylindrical cathode target electrode to a second high power pulse resonance AC power supply, generating magnetic coupling between the cathode target and an anode, providing a feed gas, and selecting a time shift between negative voltage peaks associated with AC voltage waveforms generated by the first high power pulse resonance AC power supply and the second high power pulse resonance AC power supply. An apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, cathode target magnet assembly, first high power pulse resonance AC power supply, additional electrode, additional electrode magnet assembly, second high power pulse resonance AC power supply, and feed gas.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of depositing a layer on a substrate, the method comprising:
applying a first magnetic field to a cathode target, the first magnetic field generating an unbalanced magnetic field and a magnetron configuration on the cathode target;
electrically coupling the cathode target to a first high power pulse resonance alternating current (AC) power supply;
positioning an additional cylindrical cathode target electrode around the cathode;
applying a second magnetic field to the additional cylindrical cathode target electrode, the second magnetic field forming a magnetron configuration on the cylindrical cathode target electrode;
electrically coupling the additional cylindrical cathode target electrode to a second high power pulse resonance AC power supply;
generating magnetic coupling between the cathode target and an anode;
providing a feed gas;
igniting plasma discharge with at least one of the first high power pulse resonance AC power supply, second high power pulse resonance AC power supply; and
selecting a time shift between negative voltage peaks associated with AC voltage waveforms generated by the first high power pulse resonance AC power supply and the second high power pulse resonance AC power supply, the time shift increasing ionization of sputtered target material atoms associated with the cathode target during sputtering.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method, as defined by claim 1, wherein the feed gas comprises a noble gas, the noble gas comprising at least one of argon, xenon, neon, krypton.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method, as defined by claim 1, wherein the feed gas comprises a mixture of a noble gas and a reactive gas.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method, as defined by claim 1, further comprising positioning a substrate holder; and
coupling a substrate bias voltage to a substrate holder, the substrate bias voltage comprising a range of −10 V to −200 V.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method, as defined by claim 1, wherein the feed gas comprises a mixture of a noble gas and a gas that comprises atoms of the cathode target material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method, as defined by claim 1, wherein at least one of the first high power pulse resonance AC power supply, second high power pulse resonance AC power supply provides an output peak power during pulse in a range of 10 to 1000 kW.

### Claim 7

An electrically and magnetically enhanced ionized physical vapor deposition (I-PVD) unbalanced magnetron sputtering apparatus that deposits a layer on a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
a vacuum chamber;
a cathode target magnet assembly that generates an unbalanced magnetic field and provides a magnetron configuration on a target surface;
a first high power pulse resonance AC power supply connected to the cathode target;
an additional electrode;
an additional electrode magnet assembly that generates magnetic coupling between the cathode target and the additional electrode;
a second high power pulse resonance AC power supply connected to the additional electrode; and
a feed gas, wherein a time shift is disposed between negative voltage peaks associated with AC voltage waveforms generated by the first high power pulse resonance AC power supply and the second high power pulse resonance AC power supply, the time shift increasing ionization of sputtered target material atoms associated with the cathode target during sputtering.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The apparatus, as defined by claim 7, wherein at least one of the first high power pulse resonance AC power supply, second high power pulse resonance AC power supply provides a target power density during a pulse in a range of 0.1 to 100 kW/cm2.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The apparatus, as defined by claim 8, further comprising a substrate bias power supply coupled to a substrate holder, the substrate bias power supply providing a bias voltage on a substrate in a range of −10 to −200 V.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The apparatus, as defined by claim 7, wherein the feed gas comprises a noble gas, the noble gas comprising at least one of argon, xenon, neon, krypton.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The apparatus, as defined by claim 7, wherein the feed gas comprises a mixture of a noble gas and a reactive gas.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The apparatus, as defined by claim 11, wherein the power supply coupled to the cathode magnet target assembly comprises a radio frequency (RF) power supply, the RF power supply providing output power in a range of 1 to 20 kW.

### Claim 13 (depends on 7)

The apparatus, as defined by claim 7, wherein the feed gas comprises a mixture of a noble gas and gas that comprises atoms of the cathode target.

### Claim 14 (depends on 7)

The apparatus, as defined by claim 7, wherein the cathode magnet target assembly rotates with a speed in a range of 10 to 100 revolutions per minute.