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US 4,734,183 AGranted
Sputtering cathode on the magnetron principle
AssigneeLeybold-Heraeus GmbH
InventorsPeter Wirz, Gudrun Przybilla, Karl-Heinz Schuller, Bernd Cord
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AssigneeLeybold-Heraeus GmbH
InventorsPeter Wirz, Gudrun Przybilla, Karl-Heinz Schuller, Bernd Cord
Estimating the term…
In a sputtering cathode on the magnetron principle with a target consisting of at least one piece and composed of the material to be sputtered, there is disposed in back of the target a magnet system having a plurality of magnet units of alternately different polarity. These form at least two endless magnetic tunnels of arching lines of force situated one within the other. The poles of the magnet units that face away from the target are joined together by a magnet yoke of soft-magnetic material. To solve the problem of being able to deposit coatings of uniform thickness with only one source of power per cathode, provision is made such that the strength of at least one magnetic field forming a magnetic tunnel can be varied relative to the strength of at least one additional magnetic field forming an additional magnetic tunnel.
Sputtering cathode comprising a target including at least one piece composed of a material to be sputtered, a magnetic system disposed in back of said target and spread out substantially in one plane said magnetic system comprising at least three permanent magnetic units of alternately different polarity lying one inside the other and self contained to form at least two magnetic tunnels of arcing lines of force which tunnels lie one inside the other and closed on themselves, each of said magnetic units having one pole facing toward and one pole facing away from said target, wherein the poles of the magnetic units facing away from the target are joined together by a magnetic yoke of soft magnetic material which magnetic yoke forms a field of magnetic flux with each of said magnetic units wherein the strength of the magnetic flux between the magnetic yoke and at least one magnetic unit varies relative to the magnetic flux between the magnetic yoke and the rest of the magnet units, wherein a mechanical adjusting means is provided for varying said magnetic flux produced between said magnetic yoke and said at least one magnetic unit and said magnetic flux produced between the magnetic yoke and the rest of the magnetic units.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.