Method of making a CIG target by cold spraying

A method of making a sputtering target, comprising:

• providing a backing structure;
• and
• forming a copper indium gallium sputtering target material on the backing structure by cold spraying;
• wherein:
• the sputtering target material is formed by cold spraying the sputtering target material directly onto the backing structure comprising a cylindrical backing structure to form a cylindrical sputtering target;
• the step of cold spraying comprises spraying a powder comprising copper, indium and gallium in a process gas stream and providing the process gas stream containing the powder from a nozzle onto the backing structure such that the powder is not melted and such that a microstructure of the powder does not substantially change;
• and
• at least one of an average particle size of the powder is at least 35 μm, a velocity of the process gas stream is at least 150 m/s, or a process gas pressure is 20 bar or less;
• and
• further comprising providing water into the process gas to form an oxide coating on the particles of the powder prior to the step of providing the process gas stream containing the powder from the nozzle onto the backing structure.