Magnetron sputtering method and sputtering target

A magnetron sputtering method comprising:

• disposing a substrate opposite to an upper surface of a sputtering target;
• applying a magnetic field to the sputtering target from a magnetic field source disposed on a rear surface of the sputtering target to generate magnetron discharge over the upper surface of the sputtering target;
• and
• applying a sputtering voltage to the sputtering target thereby sputtering a magnetic thin film on the substrate,
• wherein said sputtering target consists of a material having a maximum relative magnetic permeability of about 50 or more and contains two phases of an M--X alloy phase and an M simple substance phase with M including at least one element selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co, and Ni and having a smaller atomic weight than X which includes at least one element selected from the group consisting of Fe, Al, Si, Ta, Zr, Nb, Hf, and Ti, and
• wherein said sputtering target is formed with at least a part of the M--X alloy phase being surrounded by the M simple substance phase.

A magnetron sputtering method comprising:

• disposing a substrate opposite to an upper surface of a sputtering target;
• applying a magnetic field to the sputtering target from a magnetic field source disposed on a rear surface of the sputtering target to generate magnetron discharge over the upper surface of the sputtering target;
• providing an atmosphere containing nitrogen between at least the sputtering target and the substrate;
• applying a sputtering voltage to the sputtering target thereby sputtering a nitride magnetic film on the substrate;
• wherein said sputtering target consists of a material having a maximum relative magnetic permeability of about 50 or more and contains an M--X alloy phase and at least one phase selected from the group consisting of an M simple substance phase and an X simple substance phase with the at least one phase selected being the simple substance phase having a smallest atomic weight relative to each simple substance phase constituent M and X, where the constituent M includes at least one element selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co, and Ni and has a different atomic weight than the constituent X which includes at least one element selected from the group consisting of Fe, Al, Si, Ta, Zr, Nb, Hf, and Ti, and
• wherein said sputtering target is formed with at least a part of the M--X alloy phase being surrounded by the selected at least one simple substance phase.

A magnetron sputtering method comprising:

• disposing a substrate opposite to an upper surface of a sputtering target;
• applying a magnetic field to the sputtering target from a magnetic field source disposed on a rear surface of the sputtering target to generate magnetron discharge over the upper surface of the sputtering target;
• and
• applying a sputtering voltage to the sputtering target thereby sputtering a magnetic thin film on the substrate,
• wherein said sputtering target consists of a material having a maximum relative magnetic permeability of about 50 or more and contains an M--X alloy phase and at least one phase selected from the group consisting of an M simple substance phase and an X simple substance phase with the at least one phase selected being the simple substance phase having a smallest atomic weight relative to each simple substance phase constituent M and X, where the constituent M includes at least one element selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co, and Ni and has a different atomic weight than the constituent X which includes at least one element selected from the group consisting of Fe, Al, Si, Ta, Zr, Nb, Hf, and Ti,
• wherein a ratio of the phases constituting said sputtering target is determined on the basis of atomic flux densities of the M constituent and the X constituent which will maintain the M/X ratio of the magnetic thin film being sputtered on the substrate constant as the sputtering target erodes, and
• wherein said sputtering target is formed with at least a part of the M--X alloy phase being surrounded by the selected at least one simple substance phase.

A magnetron sputtering method comprising:

• disposing a substrate opposite to an upper surface of a sputtering target;
• applying a magnetic field to the sputtering target from a magnetic field source disposed on a rear surface of the sputtering target to generate magnetron discharge over the upper surface of the sputtering target;
• and
• applying a sputtering voltage to the sputtering target thereby sputtering a magnetic thin film on the substrate,
• wherein said sputtering target consists of a soft magnetic material having a maximum relative magnetic permeability of about 50 or more and contains an M--X alloy phase, an M simple substance phase, and an X simple substance phase, and where the constituent M includes at least one element selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co, and Ni and has a different atomic weight than the constituent X which includes at least one element selected from the group consisting of Fe, Al, Si, Ta, Zr, Nb, Hf and Ti,
• and wherein said sputtering target is formed with at least a part of the M--X alloy phase being surrounded by one of the M simple substance phase and the X simple substance phase.