R. F. sputtering method and apparatus

A method of etching and evaporating material on a semiconductor wafer in R.F. sputtering apparatus, said apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber and means to create an ionizable gas pressure in said chamber, an R.F. power supply having at least first and second terminals, one of the terminals being connected to a cathode electrode in said chamber, said cathode electrode comprising a plate having a plurality of semiconductor wafer supports extending through the plate, and means on the support for holding a semiconductor wafer to be etched;

• a heated source of material in said chamber and a shutter in said chamber intermediate said cathode electrode and said evaporation material;
• comprising the steps of:
• energizing said R.F. power supply and forming a luminescent discharge area including a Crooks dark space area having a thickness "e" spaced from said wafers being etched and supporting said objects a distance "h" from said cathode plate wherein "h".gtoreq.2"e";
• sputter etching semiconductor wafers in said holders with said shutter masking said evaporation material, and thereafter evaporating said evaporation material on to said sputter etched wafer by unmasking said evaporation source.

A method of etching and evaporating material on an object in R. F. sputtering apparatus, said apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber and means to create an ionizable gas pressure in said chamber, an R. F. power supply having at least first and second terminals, one of the terminals being connected to a cathode electrode in said chamber, said cathode electrode comprising a plate having a plurality of object holders extending through the plate, and means on the holder for holding an object to be etched;

• a heated source of material in said chamber and a shutter in said chamber intermediate said cathode electrode and said evaporation material;
• comprising the steps of:
• energizing said R. F. power supply and forming a luminescent discharge area including a Crooks dark space area having a thickness "e" spaced from said wafers being etched and supporting said objects a distance "h" from said cathode plate wherein "h".gtoreq.2"e";
• sputter etching objects in said holders with said shutter masking said evaporation material, and thereafter evaporating said evaporation material on to said sputter etched object by unmasking said evaporation source.