Plasma reactor and shields generating self-ionized plasma for sputtering

A plasma sputter reactor, comprising:

• a metallic vacuum chamber containing a pedestal aligned to a chamber axis and having a support surface for supporting a substrate to be sputter deposited;
• a target of a material to be sputter deposited on said substrate and electrically isolated from said vacuum chamber;
• a first electrically conductive shield generally symmetric about said axis, supported on and electrically connected to said chamber, and extending away from said target along a wall of said chamber to an elevation behind said support surface;
• an electrical isolator supported by said chamber;
• a second electrically conductive shield generally symmetric about said axis, supported on said isolator, electrically isolated from said chamber and from said target, and extending from said target along and inside of a portion of said first shield;
• wherein a channel is formed between said first and second shields having an aspect ratio of at least 4:1, having a width of between 2.5 and 3 mm, and extending from a lower tip of said second shield to an area exposed to said isolator.

A plasma sputter reactor, comprising:

• a metallic vacuum chamber containing a pedestal aligned to a chamber axis and having a support surface for supporting a substrate to be sputter deposited;
• a target comprising a material to be sputter deposited on said substrate and electrically isolated from said vacuum chamber;
• a first electrically conductive shield generally symmetric about said axis, supported on and electrically connected to said chamber, and extending away from said target along a wall of said chamber to an elevation behind said support surface;
• an electrical isolator supported by said chamber;
• a second electrically conductive shield generally symmetric about said axis, supported on said isolator, electrically isolated from said chamber and from said target, and extending from said target along and inside of a portion of said first shield, wherein a second shield terminates on a side of said target toward said pedestal at a distance of at least 2 cm from a face of said target.

A plasma sputter reactor, comprising:

• a metallic vacuum chamber containing a pedestal aligned to a chamber axis and having a support surface for supporting a substrate to be sputter deposited;
• a target comprising a material to be sputter deposited on said substrate and electrically isolated from said vacuum chamber;
• a first electrically conductive shield generally symmetric about said axis, supported on and electrically connected to said chamber, and extending away from said target along a wall of said chamber to an elevation behind said support surface;
• an electrical isolator supported by said chamber;
• a metallic clamp ring fixing said first shield to said metallic vacuum chamber;
• and;
• a second electrically conductive shield generally symmetric about said axis, supported on said isolator, electrically isolated from said chamber and from said target, and extending from said target along and inside of a portion of said first shield, wherein second shield terminates on a side of said target toward said pedestal at a distance of at least 2 cm from a face of said target.

A plasma sputter reactor, comprising:

• a metallic vacuum chamber containing a pedestal aligned to a chamber axis and having a support surface for supporting a substrate to be sputter deposited;
• a target comprising a material to be sputter deposited on said substrate and electrically isolated from said vacuum chamber;
• a first electrically conductive shield generally symmetric about said axis, supported on and electrically connected to said chamber, and extending away from said target along a wall of said chamber to an elevation behind said support surface;
• an electrical isolator supported by said chamber;
• a second electrically conductive shield generally symmetric about said axis, supported on said isolator, electrically isolated from said chamber and from said target, and extending from said target along and inside of a portion of said first shield, wherein a second shield terminates on a side of said target toward said pedestal at a distance of at least 2 cm from a face of said target;
• wherein a convolute channel having two 90° bends is formed between said first and second shields.

A plasma sputter reactor, comprising:

• a metallic vacuum chamber containing a pedestal aligned to a chamber axis and having a support surface for supporting a substrate to be sputter deposited;
• a target comprising a material to be sputter deposited on said substrate and electrically isolated from said vacuum chamber;
• a first electrically conductive shield generally symmetric about said axis, supported on and electrically connected to said chamber, and extending away from said target along a wall of said chamber to an elevation behind said support surface;
• an electrical isolator supported by said chamber;
• a second electrically conductive shield generally symmetric about said axis, supported on said isolator, electrically isolated from said chamber and from said target, and extending from said target along and inside of a portion of said first shield, wherein a second shield terminates on a side of said target toward said pedestal at a distance is at least 5 cm and no more than 10 cm from said face of said target.