# US 9,039,873 B2 · Manufacturing apparatus

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- Number: US 9,039,873 B2
- Document ID: US9039873B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/919,067
- Filed: 2013-06-17
- Published: 2013-10-24
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2010-12-28
- Assignees: Canon Anelva Corporation
- Applicants: Canon Anelva Corporation
- Inventors: Koji Tsunekawa
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9039873B2

## CPC

- C23C 14/14: Metallic material, boron or silicon
- C23C 14/067: {Borides}
- C23C 14/081: {of aluminium, magnesium or beryllium}
- C23C 14/34: Sputtering
- C23C 14/3407: {Cathode assembly for sputtering apparatus, e.g. Target}
- C23C 14/345: {using substrate bias}
- C23C 14/3464: {using more than one target (C23C14/56 takes precedence)}
- C23C 14/505: {for rotation of the substrates}
- C23C 14/568: {Transferring the substrates through a series of coating stations (C23C14/562 takes precedence)}
- C23C 14/5806: {Thermal treatment}
- C23C 14/5853: {Oxidation}
- C23C 28/321: {with at least one metal alloy layer}
- C23C 28/322: {only coatings of metal elements only}
- C23C 28/34: {including at least one inorganic non-metallic material layer, e.g. metal carbide, nitride, boride, silicide layer and their mixtures, enamels, phosphates and sulphates}
- C23C 28/345: {with at least one oxide layer}
- H01F 41/18: by cathode sputtering
- H01J 37/32899: {Multiple chambers, e.g. cluster tools}
- H01J 37/3405: {Magnetron sputtering}
- H01J 37/3411: {Constructional aspects of the reactor}
- H01J 37/3417: {Arrangements}
- H10N 50/01: Manufacture or treatment
- H10N 50/10: Magnetoresistive devices
- H10P 72/0468: {comprising a chamber adapted to a particular process}
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

The present invention provides a manufacturing apparatus which can realize so-called sequential substrate transfer and can improve throughput, even when one multi-layered thin film includes plural layers of the same film type. A manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a transfer chamber, three sputtering deposition chambers each including one sputtering cathode, two sputtering deposition chambers each including two or more sputtering cathodes, and a process chamber for performing a process other than sputtering, and the three sputtering deposition chambers, the two sputtering deposition chambers, and the process chamber are arranged around the transfer chamber so that each is able to perform delivery and receipt of the substrate with the transfer chamber.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A manufacturing apparatus growing a multi-layered film as a magneto-resistance element over a substrate, comprising:
a transfer chamber including a substrate transfer mechanism;
a first sputtering deposition chamber including one sputtering cathode;
a second sputtering deposition chamber including one sputtering cathode;
a third sputtering deposition chamber including one sputtering cathode;
a fourth sputtering deposition chamber including two or more sputtering cathodes;
a fifth sputtering deposition chamber including two or more sputtering cathodes; and
a process chamber for performing a process other than sputtering,
wherein the first sputtering deposition chamber, the second sputtering deposition chamber, the third sputtering deposition chamber, the fourth sputtering deposition chamber, the fifth sputtering deposition chamber, and the process chamber are arranged around the transfer chamber so that each is able to perform delivery and receipt of the substrate with the transfer chamber,
wherein the first sputtering deposition chamber deposits at least one layer of an oxide film, a nitride film, and a semiconductor film included in the multi-layered film, and
wherein each of the sputtering cathodes in the first sputtering deposition chamber, the second sputtering deposition chamber, and the third sputtering deposition chamber is larger than each of the sputtering cathodes in the fourth sputtering deposition chamber and the fifth sputtering deposition chamber.

### Claim 2

A manufacturing apparatus-growing a multi-layered film as a magneto-resistance element over a substrate, comprising:
a transfer chamber including a substrate transfer mechanism;
a first sputtering deposition chamber including one sputtering cathode;
a second sputtering deposition chamber including one sputtering cathode;
a third sputtering deposition chamber including one sputtering cathode;
a fourth sputtering deposition chamber including two or more sputtering cathodes;
a fifth sputtering deposition chamber including two or more sputtering cathodes; and
a process chamber for performing a process other than sputtering,
wherein the first sputtering deposition chamber, the second sputtering deposition chamber, the third sputtering deposition chamber, the fourth sputtering deposition chamber, the fifth sputtering deposition chamber, and the process chamber are arranged around the transfer chamber so that each is able to perform delivery and receipt of the substrate with the transfer chamber,
wherein the multi-layered film includes a first film-that includes a metal film having a thickness not smaller than 10 nm, a second film that includes a metal film having a thickness not smaller than 10 nm, and a third film that includes at least one layer of an oxide film, a nitride film, and a semiconductor film,
wherein the first sputtering deposition chamber forms the first film and the second sputtering deposition chamber forms the second film, and
wherein each of the sputtering cathodes in the first sputtering deposition chamber, the second sputtering deposition chamber, and the third sputtering deposition chamber is larger than each of the sputtering cathodes in the fourth sputtering deposition chamber and the fifth sputtering deposition chamber.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transfer chamber includes a substrate transfer robot for transferring the substrate between the transfer chamber and the first to fifth deposition chambers.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transfer chamber is maintained in a vacuum.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the process chamber is one for removing a thin film formed on or over the substrate, with plasma, an ion beam, an atom beam, a molecular beam, or a gas cluster beam.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the process chamber is one for forming a thin film on a thin film formed on or over the substrate, by a chemical vapor deposition method.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the process chamber is one for causing a thin film formed on or over the substrate to chemically react in gas, neutral active species, ions, or a mixed atmosphere thereof.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the process chamber is one for heating, cooling, or heating and cooling the substrate.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first sputtering deposition chamber forms an oxide film included in the multi-layered film.

### Claim 10 (depends on 2)

The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the third sputtering deposition chamber forms the third film.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the multi-layered film further includes a magnetization fixing layer and a magnetization free layer which includes a plurality of films, the magnetization fixing layer and the magnetization free layer being disposed so as to sandwich at least one layer of the oxide film, the nitride film, and the semiconductor film,
the fourth sputtering deposition chamber forms a plurality of films and deposits at least the magnetization fixing layer, and
the fifth sputtering deposition chamber forms a plurality of films and deposits at least the magnetization free layer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 2)

The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein
the multi-layered film further includes a magnetization fixing layer and a magnetization free layer which includes a plurality of films, the magnetization fixing layer and the magnetization free layer being disposed so as to sandwich the third film,
the fourth sputtering deposition chamber forms a plurality of films and deposits at least the magnetization fixing layer, and
the fifth sputtering deposition chamber forms a plurality of films and deposits at least the magnetization free layer.

### Claim 13

A manufacturing apparatus growing a multi-layered film as a magneto-resistance element over a substrate, comprising:
a transfer chamber including a substrate transfer mechanism;
a first sputtering deposition chamber including one sputtering cathode;
a second sputtering deposition chamber including one sputtering cathode;
a third sputtering deposition chamber including one sputtering cathode;
a fourth sputtering deposition chamber including two or more sputtering cathodes;
a fifth sputtering deposition chamber including two or more sputtering cathodes; and
a process chamber for performing a process other than sputtering,
wherein the first sputtering deposition chamber, the second sputtering deposition chamber, the third sputtering deposition chamber, the fourth sputtering deposition chamber, the fifth sputtering deposition chamber, and the process chamber are arranged around the transfer chamber so that each is able to perform delivery and receipt of the substrate with the transfer chamber,
wherein the multi-layered film includes a first film that includes a metal film having a thickness larger in a different order of magnitude than the thinnest film in the multi-layered film, a second film that includes a metal film having a thickness larger in a different order of magnitude than the thinnest film, and a third film that includes at least one layer of an oxide film, a nitride film, and a semiconductor film,
wherein the first sputtering deposition chamber forms the first film and the second sputtering deposition chamber forms the second film, and
wherein each of the sputtering cathodes in the first sputtering deposition chamber, the second sputtering deposition chamber, and the third sputtering deposition chamber is larger than each of the sputtering cathodes in the fourth sputtering deposition chamber and the fifth sputtering deposition chamber.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The manufacturing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the third sputtering deposition apparatus forms the third film.