Sputtering apparatus

A rotary cathode assembly for a sputtering apparatus, the rotary cathode assembly comprising:

• a rotatable target cylinder having an inner surface that defines an interior passageway between a proximal end and a distal end, the rotatable target cylinder located within a vacuum chamber having a wall;
• a rigid support structure comprising a coolant tube having a proximal end and a distal end, the coolant tube positioned within the interior passageway of the rotatable target cylinder;
• a single end block operatively coupled to the proximal ends of the rotatable target cylinder and the rigid support structure;
• an end cap affixed to the distal end of the rotatable target cylinder, the end cap having a window;
• a magnet bar structure movably attached to the rigid support structure within the interior passageway;
• at least one actuation mechanism coupled to the rigid support structure and configured to change a distance of the magnet bar structure from the inner surface of the rotatable target cylinder;
• a power source that provides power to the at least one actuation mechanism, the power source fully contained within the rotatable target cylinder;
• an onboard electronic controller within the rotatable target cylinder and operatively coupled with the at least one actuation mechanism;
• a communications device located in the rotatable target cylinder, the communications device configured to receive and transmit signals through the window in the end cap;
• an in-vacuum support structure located within the vacuum chamber and coupled to the wall of the vacuum chamber;
• and
• a signal transmission medium held by the in-vacuum support structure outside of the rotatable target cylinder and adjacent to the window of the end cap, the signal transmission medium in signal communication with the communications device through the window in the end cap;
• wherein as the rotatable target cylinder erodes during operation of the sputtering apparatus, the at least one actuation mechanism adjusts the position of the magnet bar structure with respect to the inner surface of the rotatable target cylinder in response to control signals from the onboard electronic controller;
• wherein the single end block is configured such that all functions for operation of the rotary cathode assembly pass through the single end block except for signal transmissions through the window in the end cap.