Sputter coating process control method and apparatus

A method of manufacturing a sputter coated article, comprising the steps of:

• providing a sputter coating apparatus having a processing chamber in which a sputter coating material is deposited onto a substrate by a sputter coating process performed with the apparatus operated in accordance with a plurality of machine parameters;
• supporting in the chamber a target of sputter coating material, having a plurality of sputtering regions thereon, and a substrate holder holding a substrate with a surface of the substrate facing the target to receive a coating of sputter coating material sputtered from the plurality of regions of the target;
• storing in a memory the desired thickness of the coating to be deposited on the substrate by performance of the process thereon;
• entering measured data of the coating thickness distribution on a substrate coated by a prior performance thereon of the process in accordance with previously set machine parameters;
• calculating modified machine parameters from the entered measured data of the coating thickness distribution, the stored desired thickness and the previously set machine parameters;
• and
• performing the process on the substrate supported in the processing chamber to deposit the desired thickness of coating material on the substrate in accordance with the modified machine parameters.

A sputter coating apparatus comprising:

• a processing chamber in which a sputter coating material is deposited onto a substrate by a sputter coating process, the chamber having supported therein:
• a target of sputter coating material, and a substrate holder for supporting a substrate such that a surface of the substrate faces the target to receive a coating of sputter coating material sputtered from the target;
• a data processor having means for receiving and storing entered process parameter data including:
• data of the desired thickness of a coating to be deposited on a substrate by performance of the process thereon, and
• data of the desired deposition rate at which the coating is to be deposited on the substrate;
• means for electrically energizing the target to cause sputtering therefrom in accordance with machine parameters communicated thereto to perform the sputter coating process on a substrate supported in the substrate holder;
• the data processor including means for calculating, from the entered process parameter data, machine parameters for performing the sputter coating process so as to deposit, at the desired deposition rate, a coating on the substrate of the desired thickness;
• and
• means connected to the data processor for communicating the calculated machine parameters to the target energizing means.

An apparatus for manufacturing a sputter coated article, comprising:

• a processing chamber in which a sputter coating material is deposited onto a substrate by a sputter coating process, the chamber having supported therein:
• a target of sputter coating material having a plurality of sputtering regions thereon, and
• a substrate holder for supporting a substrate such that a surface of the substrate faces the target to receive a coating of sputter coating material sputtered from the regions of the target;
• means for electrically energizing the target to cause sputtering from the regions thereof in accordance with machine parameters communicated thereto;
• a data processor;
• means for entering into the data processor data of the desired thickness of the coating to be deposited on the substrate;
• the data processor including:
• means for storing machine parameters in accordance with which a process has been performed on a previously processed substrate;
• means for receiving and storing measured data of coating thickness deposited on the substrate previously processed in accordance with the stored parameters;
• and
• means for calculating modified machine parameters from the stored machine parameters, the measured data of coating thickness and the data of desired coating thickness;
• and
• means connected to the data processor for communicating the modified machine parameters to the target energizing means.

A method of manufacturing a sputter coated article, comprising the steps of:

• providing a sputter coating apparatus having a processing chamber in which a sputter coating material is deposited onto a substrate by a sputter coating process performed with the apparatus operated in accordance with a plurality of machine parameters;
• supporting in the chamber a target of sputter coating material, having a plurality of sputtering regions thereon, and a substrate holder holding a substrate with a surface of the substrate facing the target to receive a coating of sputter coating material sputtered from the plurality of regions of the target;
• storing initial machine parameters in a memory;
• entering alternative machine parameters into the memory;
• displaying to an operator the stored initial machine parameters and the alternative machine parameters;
• receiving from an operator parameter selection commands and process initiating commands;
• selecting, in response to the commands received from the operator, selected machine parameters from among the stored initial machine parameters and the stored alternative machine parameters;
• and
• performing a sputter coating process on a substrate supported in the processing chamber in accordance with the selected machine parameters by electrically energizing the target so as to independently cause sputtering from each region respectively in accordance with separate machine parameters including the selected machine parameters.

A sputter coating apparatus comprising:

• a processing chamber in which a sputtered coating material is deposited onto a substrate by a process, the chamber having supported therein:
• a target of sputter coating material having a plurality of sputtering regions thereon, and
• a substrate holder for supporting a substrate such that a surface of the substrate faces the target to receive a coating of sputter coating material sputtered from the regions of the target;
• means for electrically energizing the target to independently cause sputtering from each region in accordance with stored parameters communicated thereto;
• memory means for holding stored parameters therein;
• entry means including means for entering alternative parameters;
• the entry means including means for receiving from an operator parameter selection commands and process initiating commands;
• display means for displaying to an operator the stored parameters and the alternative parameters;
• control means including means responsive to parameter selection commands received from the operator for selecting parameters, from among the stored and alternative parameters;
• and
• the control means including means responsive to the initiating commands received from the operator for communicating the selected parameters to the energizing means to initiate the performance of the process on a substrate supported in the processing chamber in accordance with the selected parameters.