Methods for high-rate sputtering of a compound semiconductor on large area substrates

A method of sputtering thin films on individual substrates defining a surface having a surface area of about 1000 cm2 to about 2500 cm2, the method comprising:

• conveying individual substrates into a vacuum chamber to draw a sputtering pressure that is less than about 50 mTorr;
• heating the individual substrates to a sputtering temperature of about 50° C. to about 200° C.;
• and,
• conveying the individual substrates into a sputtering chamber and past a planar magnetron continuously sputtering a planar semiconducting target by an ionized gas at the sputtering pressure such that a thin film is formed on the surface of the individual substrate, the planar semiconducting target defining a surface area of about 1000 cm2 to about 2500 cm2, wherein the substrates are continuously conveyed at a substantially constant linear conveyance rate while sputtering such that the thin film formed on the surface of the individual substrate has an average thickness of about 50 nm to about 250 nm with a non-uniformity of about 7% to about 15% of the average thickness, and wherein the semiconducting target is subjected to a high frequency power having a frequency from about 400 kHz to about 4 MHz at power levels of greater than about 1 kW, wherein the semiconducting target comprises cadmium sulfide.