Method of manufacturing semiconductor devices each including a semiconductor body with a surface provided with a metallization having a Ti layer and a TiN layer

A method of metallizing a series of semiconductor slices preparatory to their being formed into semiconductor devices, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) passing a semiconductor slice into a deposition chamber wherein it is supported opposite a target of Ti surrounded by an annular anode, and supplying electric power between said target and said anode;
• then
• (b) passing Ar gas into the deposition chamber so as to generate a plasma in Ar near the Ti target which causes sputtering of material therefrom and deposition of a layer of Ti on the semiconductor slice;
• then
• (c) passing a gas mixture of Ar and nitrogen into the deposition chamber so as to generate a plasma in said gas mixture near said Ti target which causes sputtering of material therefrom, deposition of a layer of TiN on the Ti layer on said slice and formation of a layer comprising nitrogen on the surface of the target during the deposition of the layer of TiN on the Ti layer;
• and, then
• (d) forming a plasma in Ar near the Ti target to cause further sputtering of material therefrom which clears the surface of said target of the layer comprising nitrogen, and then terminating said further sputtering as soon as said surface has been cleared of the layer comprising nitrogen, the electric power supplied between said target and said anode being maintained constant during this step (d), thereby producing a changing voltage there-between which after a time reaches a constant end value, and said further sputtering being terminated when said voltage has reached said constant end value.