Method and apparatus for production of rotatable sputtering targets
OwnerAnthony Mendel, George E. Whaleninventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing rotatable sputtering targets by means of continuous casting. Target material is deposited around a cylindrical target holder (14) by means of a movable mold (30) surrounding the target holder. The mold (30) is fed with molten metal while it is translated along the target holder to progressively form the layer of molten metal on the outer surface of the target holder.
Claims20
A method for manufacturing a rotatable sputtering target, wherein molten target material is cast around a cylindrical target holder in order to form a layer of target material on an outer surface of said target holder characterized in that said target material is cast around said target holder by means of a mould surrounding said cylindrical target holder and axially extending over only part of the length thereof, wherein said mould is fed with molten target material while the mould is moved axially relative to the target holder so as to progressively form said layer of target material along said target holder, wherein said cylindrical target holder is cooled from the inside.
An apparatus for producing a rotatable sputtering target comprising:
- a frame structure for maintaining a cylindrical target holder;
- a mould for forming a layer of target material on the outer surface of said cylindrical target holder;
- a feed line for supplying molten target material to said mould;
- a structure for moving the mould relative to the target holder in a coaxial manner so as to progressively form the layer of target material along said target holder;
- means for cooling said cylindrical target holder from the inside.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.