Mesh shield in a sputter reactor
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorEarl G. Powell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sputtering shield for use in a plasma sputter reactor and formed of one or more layers of mesh bent into a desired shield shape is disclosed. The multiple layers are arranged to minimize overlap of mesh apertures to thereby decrease line-of-sight holes through the mesh assembly. A foil may be placed between the outermost two mesh layers to further increase opacity. The mesh may be fixed to solid metal parts, such as flanges, grommets, hemming, or complex parts of the overall shield. The mesh shield provides better adhesion of sputter coated layers, thereby allowing longer use before replacement, and is less expensive to fabricate so that it can be treated as a consumable.
Claims16
A sputter shield configured to protect walls of a sputter reactor from sputter deposition and to be removably fixed to said sputter reactor comprising a plurality of meshes laminated together, each of said plurality of meshes having a porosity factor of between 10% and 95%.
A sputter shield configured to protect walls of a sputter reactor from sputter deposition and to be removably fixed to said sputter reactor, comprising a mesh formed with a two-dimensional array of apertures therethrough and comprising an expanded metal mesh.
A sputter shield configured to protect walls of a sputter reactor from sputter deposition and to be removably fixed to said sputter reactor, comprising a mesh comprising crushed honeycomb.
A sputter shield configured to protect walls of a sputter reactor from sputter deposition and to be removably fixed to said sputter reactor, comprising:
- a mesh having a porosity factor of between 10% and 95%:
- and
- a metal flange fixed to said mesh for supporting said shield on a processing chamber.
A plasma sputter reactor, comprising:
- a vacuum chamber having sidewalls about a central axis of said chamber;
- a pedestal configured to support a substrate to be sputter coated;
- a target in opposition to said pedestal in opposition to said target;
- and
- a shield arranged about said central axis in an area between said target and said pedestal and comprising a plurality of layers of mesh laminated together.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.