Magnetron sputtering apparatus

A magnetron sputtering apparatus comprising:

• a wafer holder for holding a wafer thereon;
• a target holder for holding a target opposite to said wafer holder;
• an substantially circular particle interceptor for intercepting particles which are ejected from said target, said particle interceptor being disposed between said wafer holder and said target holder, said particle interceptor comprising a single spiral shaped coil and radial plates which each connect with said spiral shaped coil at a plurality of locations and which form a plurality of holes extending from a central portion of said particle interceptor to a peripheral portion of said particle interceptor, the holes in said peripheral portion having a greater cross-sectional area than the holes in said central portion;
• and
• means for rotating said particle interceptor in a plane parallel to the surface of said wafer and about an axis which passes through a center of the substantially circular particle interceptor so that a shadow, formed by orthogonal projections of said particle interceptor on the surface of said wafer, is moved over the surface of said wafer;
• wherein said target has a diameter which is not smaller than that of said wafer and not greater than a value 1.4 times the diameter of said wafer.