Sputtering target for depositing silicon layers in their nitride or oxide form and a process for its preparation
AssigneeW.C. Heraeus GmbH
InventorsMartin Weigert, Uwe Konietzka
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The target material for a sputtering target for depositing silicon layers in their nitride or oxide form by means of reactive cathode atomization, such as e.g. Si3N4 or SiO2 in the form of optical functional layers or in the form of thermal protective layers on glass substrates, is a cast silicon element, that has been solidified from the melt condition and which forms a parallelepiped, with a dopant, that has been mixed in with the melt, whereby the dopant is 1 wt % to 15 wt % aluminum, and whereby the casting mold preferably has a cavity which forms a parallelepiped.
Claims5
A process for the preparation of a silicon-aluminum sputtering target body for depositing a silicon layer in nitride or oxide form by means of reactive cathode atomization in the form of optical functional layers or in the form of thermal protective layers on glass substrates,
- comprising forming a melt comprising silicon and aluminum under vacuum in a crucible,
- casting said melt into a planar rectangular mold conforming substantially to the final size, shape and dimension of the silicon-aluminum sputtering target body, to form a cast element
- solidifying by rapidly cooling said cast element in ½ to 2 minutes after casting down to the solidification of the melt to form a planar rectangular plate,
- wherein said aluminum is present in an amount sufficient to impart reduced cracking to said target.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.