US 5,922,176 A · Spark eliminating sputtering target and method for using and making same

Abstract

The present invention is directed toward reducing catastrophic sparking in various sputtering processes, and especially reactive DC magnetron sputtering processes. Nonsparking sputtering targets and methods for making such targets having regions of sputtering and nonsputtering are disclosed in both planar and cylindrical forms wherein various means for electrically insulating the nonsputtered regions of the target from the sputtering gas plasma are provided. The means for insulating includes covering the regions of nonsputtering with an electrically insulating material. Corresponding methods of eliminating or substantially reducing such sparking are disclosed whereby various nonsparking planar and cylindrical targets are utilized in conventional DC magnetron reactive sputtering processes. Alternately, or in combination with particular nonsparking targets, the present invention includes alterations to the sputtering chamber to alleviate such sparking. Furthermore, the present invention is also directed toward DC reactive magnetron sputtering of either a planar or a rotatable, cylindrical target containing silicon, wherein the target is sputtered in an atmosphere containing oxygen.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A substantially nonsparking magnetron sputtering target having regions of sputtering and nonsputtering for a direct current sputtering process, comprising:

an electrically conducting magnetron target material for use in a magnetron sputtering process;
insulation means for electrically insulating said nonsputtering regions of said magnetron target from a sputtering gas plasma created during said magnetron sputtering process, said insulation means selected from the group consisting of 1) a substantially nonsputtering, electrically insulating material substituted for said nonsputtering regions of said target, and 2) a substantially nonsputtering, electrically insulating material covering said nonsputtering regions of said target which are exposed to said gas plasma during sputtering, said insulation means being of sufficient thickness to substantially prevent catastrophic sparking during sputtering;
and
a layer of support material over said coating of said electrically insulating material.

1 more element

A method of substantially reducing catastrophic sparking during sputtering of a magnetron target in a direct current, reactive sputtering process in the form of a cylinder in which a sputtering gas plasma is formed during operation, said magnetron target comprising at least one layer of electrically conducting target material having at least two sides one of which is exposed, said method comprising:

defining at least one nonsputtered region and at least one sputtered region on said exposed side of said magnetron target material layer, said one nonsputtered region and said one sputtered region separated by a boundary;
and
insulating said one nonsputtered region from said sputtering gas plasma by positioning at least one curved, electrically isolated shield in proximate relation to said nonsputtered regions of said magnetron target such that said shield is immediately adjacent but spaced from said magnetron target and said target material extends continuously past said shield without a change in target material.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Spark eliminating sputtering target and method for using and making same

Life of this patent

Spark eliminating sputtering target and method for using and making same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10