Cathodic sputtering target including means for detecting target piercing

Abstract

The sputtering cathode (10) forming part of the apparatus of the invention essentially comprises a target (20) made of a material to be sputtered, arranged in front of an intermediate support (15) so as to define a first gas tight chamber (30) of narrow thickness therebetween, intended to be provided with an atmosphere of a gas (37) presenting a high thermal conductivity (under a pressure substantially higher than that prevailing inside the vacuum chamber of the apparatus). The intermediate support (15) in turn forms part of the wall of a second tight chamber adjoining said first tight chamber, which is intended to be circulated with a liquid coolant therewithin. The above arrangement enables the sputtering target (20) to be consumed up to its piercing without causing any damage for the apparatus and/or the substrates being coated, since this piercing will result in a simple gas irruption inside the vacuum chamber (3), which may be at once detected for immediately controlling the automatic shut-off of the sputtering operation. The above arrangement further enables sufficient target cooling throughout the sputtering.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.