Target for use in magnetron sputtering of aluminum for forming metallization films having low defect densities and methods for manufacturing and using such target

A target adapted to be received by a DC-magnetron PVD system wherein said target has a deposition-producing portion composed primarily of an electrically conductive, to-be-deposited metal and said deposition-producing portion of the target is further characterized by:

• a homogeneous content of less than about 10,000 conductivity anomalies per gram of the to-be-deposited metal where each said conductivity anomaly in said content of less than about 10,000 conductivity anomalies per gram is a region having a microscopically-measurable diameter or width of at least 1 micron and where each said conductivity anomaly defines an insulative or high resistivity region, high resistivity being at least 100 times greater than a corresponding electrical resistivity of an anomaly-free representative portion of the to-be-deposited metal.