High rate magnetron sputtering of high permeability materials

Abstract

Apparatus for sputtering a target including at least first and second elements spaced from one another by a gap; a plasma generator disposed in the gap; and a trapping magnetic field which confines at least some of the plasma adjacent the target where the target may comprise a magnetically permeable material. First and second magnets may generate the trapping magnetic field and a further field which includes a gap field across the gap where the gap field is utilized by the plasma generating means. If the target comprises a magnetically permeable material, the trapping field will pass through and over the target while the further field will pass sequentially through said first target element, the gap, and then the second target element.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.