Sputtering method to generate ionized metal plasma using electron beams and magnetic field

An apparatus for ionizing a deposition material to be deposited on a substrate within a semiconductor fabrication system, the apparatus comprising:

• a semiconductor fabrication chamber having a target of sputterable material, a magnetron adjacent said target, a substrate holder, a central axis connecting said substrate holder to said target, a central region which includes said central axis and a chamber shield which encircles said central region;
• at least one electron gun positioned to inject energetic electrons into said semiconductor fabrication chamber to form a cloud of electrons in said chamber central region;
• and
• at least one electromagnet independent of said magnetron, wherein each electromagnet encircles said central region, said at least one electromagnet being positioned to generate a configuration of magnetic fields in said chamber central region including said central axis to cause said electrons of said electron cloud to cycle within said chamber central region and about said central axis of said semiconductor fabrication chamber and to ionize material sputtered from said target, wherein said energetic electrons lose energy ionizing said sputtered material and said configuration of magnetic fields within said semiconductor fabrication chamber keeps said electrons away from said chamber shield so that said electrons losing energy spiral inward toward said central axis of said central region of said semiconductor fabrication chamber.

An apparatus for ionizing a sputtered deposition material to be deposited on a substrate within a semiconductor fabrication system, the apparatus comprising:

• a semiconductor fabrication chamber having a target of a deposition material, a magnetron adjacent said target, a substrate holder, a surrounding chamber shield and a central axis connecting said target to said substrate holder and a central region within said surrounding chamber shield and including said central axis;
• a plurality of electron guns arranged substantially tangentially around said chamber shield with portions of said electron guns passing through said chamber shield to inject energetic electrons into said semiconductor fabrication chamber to form a cloud of electrons in said chamber central region;
• and
• at least one electromagnet independent of said magnetron, wherein each electromagnet encircles said central region, said at least one electromagnet being positioned to generate a configuration of magnetic fields in said chamber central region including said central axis to cause said electrons of said electron cloud to cycle within said chamber central region of said semiconductor fabrication chamber and to ionize sputtered material from said target, wherein said energetic electrons lose energy ionizing said sputtered material and said configuration of magnetic fields within said semiconductor fabrication chamber keeps said electrons away from said chamber shield so that said electrons losing energy spiral inward toward said central axis of said central region of said semiconductor fabrication chamber.

A method of depositing material on a substrate, the method comprising:

• providing a magnetic field from a magnetron adjacent a target;
• sputtering material from said target aligned with said substrate in a chamber;
• injecting energetic electrons into said chamber to form a cloud of electrons in a central region of said chamber wherein said central region includes a central axis connecting said substrate to said target;
• and
• providing a configuration of magnetic fields in said central region including said central axis and having magnetic lines of force oriented generally parallel to said central axis of the chamber using a magnet independent of said magnetron to cycle said electrons of said cloud of electrons in said chamber central region and about said central axis, to ionize said sputtered material from said target.

A method of depositing material on a substrate, the method comprising:

• providing a magnetic field from a magnetron adjacent a target aligned with said substrate in a chamber;
• sputtering material from said target;
• injecting energetic electrons into a central region of said chamber using a plurality of electron guns arranged substantially tangentially around a chamber shield with portions of said electron guns passing through said chamber shield, to form a cloud of electrons in said central region, wherein said central region includes a central axis connecting said substrate to said target;
• and
• providing a configuration of magnetic fields in said central region including said central axis using a pair of axially spaced electromagnets encircling said shield and independent of said magnetron to cycle said electrons of said cloud of electrons in said chamber central region about and toward said central axis.

An apparatus for ionizing a deposition material to be deposited on a substrate within a semiconductor fabrication system, comprising:

• a semiconductor fabrication chamber having a target of deposition material, a magnetron adjacent said target;
• a substrate holder, a central axis connecting said substrate holder to said target, a central region including said central axis, and a chamber shield surrounding said central region;
• a plurality of electron guns arranged substantially tangentially around said chamber shield with portions of said electron guns passing through said chamber shield and positioned to inject energetic electrons into said semiconductor fabrication chamber to form a cloud of electrons in said chamber central region;
• and
• a pair of axially spaced electromagnets encircling said shield and positioned to generate a configuration of magnetic fields positioned in said chamber central region including said central axis and having magnetic lines of force oriented generally parallel to said central axis of the semiconductor fabrication chamber to cause said electrons of said electron cloud to cycle within said central region of said semiconductor fabrication chamber and about said said central axis, and to ionize deposition material from said target.

An apparatus for ionizing a deposition material to be deposited on a substrate within a semiconductor fabrication system, comprising:

• a semiconductor fabrication chamber having a target of deposition material, a magnetron adjacent said target;
• a substrate holder adapted to hold a substrate, a central axis connecting said substrate holder to said target, a central region including said central axis, and a chamber shield surrounding said central region;
• a plurality of electron guns arranged substantially tangentially around said chamber shield with portions of said electron guns passing through said chamber shield, said electron guns having means for injecting energetic electrons substantially tangentially into said semiconductor fabrication chamber to form a cloud of electrons in said chamber central region;
• and
• magnetic field means including a pair of axially spaced electromagnets encircling said shield, for generating a configuration of magnetic fields positioned in said chamber central region including said central axis to cause said electrons of said electron cloud to cycle within said central region of said semiconductor fabrication chamber and about said central axis, and to ionize deposition material from said target, wherein said configuration of magnetic fields has magnetic lines of force oriented generally parallel to said central axis of the semiconductor fabrication chamber and generally perpendicular to a surface of the substrate held by said substrate holder and wherein said energetic electrons lose energy ionizing said sputtered material and said configuration of magnetic fields within said semiconductor fabrication chamber keeps said electrons away from said chamber shield so that said electrons losing energy spiral inward toward said central axis of said central region of said semiconductor fabrication chamber.