# US 9,437,404 B2 · Sputtering apparatus

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- Number: US 9,437,404 B2
- Document ID: US9437404B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/889,538
- Filed: 2013-05-08
- Published: 2013-11-14
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2012-05-09
- Assignees: Seagate Technology LLC
- Applicants: Seagate Technology LLC
- Inventors: Noel Abarra; Tetsuya Endo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9437404B2

## CPC

- H01J 37/3417: {Arrangements}
- C23C 14/225: {Oblique incidence of vaporised material on substrate}
- C23C 14/35: by application of a magnetic field, e.g. magnetron sputtering {(C23C14/3457 takes precedence)}
- C23C 14/352: {using more than one target (C23C14/56 takes precedence)}
- H01J 37/3405: {Magnetron sputtering}
- H01J 37/3411: {Constructional aspects of the reactor}
- H01J 37/3414: {Targets}
- H01J 37/3435: {Target holders (includes backing plates and endblocks)}
- H01J 37/3447: {Collimators, shutters, apertures}
- H01J 37/3455: {Movable magnets}
- C23C 14/042: {using masks}
- C23C 14/044: {using masks to redistribute rather than totally prevent coating, e.g. producing thickness gradient}
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- 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)

## Abstract

A sputtering apparatus is provided with an elongated target holder, a substrate holder having a substrate receiving surface, and a mask assembly having an opening configured between the target holder and the substrate holder. The mask assembly is comprised of a first and second masking part having facing edges that form the opening and are disposed parallel to the substrate receiving surface and independently movable in a direction perpendicular to the length of the target holder and parallel to the substrate receiving surface, or in a direction perpendicular to the substrate receiving surface.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sputtering apparatus for forming a magnetic layer on a substrate, comprising:
a vacuum enclosure;
a cylindrical rotatable target assembly including a hollow main body including a shell, a plurality of elongated targets and a plurality of target holders equidistantly disposed from a central rotation axis of the cylindrical rotatable target assembly, each of the plurality of target holders including a corresponding one of the plurality of targets, the plurality of the target holders including a first target holder including a first target of the plurality of the targets, the first target including a short axis and a long axis, wherein the central rotation axis of the cylindrical rotatable target assembly is parallel to the long axis of the first target, and wherein the plurality of targets are disposed on an outer surface of the shell of the hollow main body;
a substrate holder comprising a substrate receiving surface;
a translating mechanism that moves the substrate holder or the first target holder along a direction substantially parallel to the substrate receiving surface and perpendicular to the long axis of the first target; and
a mask assembly formed with an opening between the first target holder and the substrate holder, wherein
said mask assembly comprises a first masking part and a second masking part which are disposed substantially parallel to the substrate receiving surface,
said opening being formed between facing edges of the first masking part and the second masking part,
wherein the cylindrical rotatable target assembly is rotated so as to configure at least one of the targets to face toward the opening of the mask assembly,
said first masking part and second masking part being independently movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the long axis of the first target and substantially parallel to the substrate receiving surface, or in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to the substrate receiving surface,
wherein the plurality of target holders of the cylindrical rotatable target assembly form at least a first and a second pair of two obliquely-facing target holders, the two obliquely-facing target holders obliquely facing to each other, such that the cylindrical rotatable target assembly is rotated to configure two targets of one of the first and the second pair of the two obliquely-facing target holders to face the opening of the mask assembly, said first and second pair of target holders being arranged radially opposite to each other,
wherein the first pair of the two obliquely-facing target holders constitutes a first target holding surface having a V-shape in cross section and the second pair of the two obliquely-facing target holders constitutes a second target holding surface having an inverted V-shape in cross section, and
wherein the plurality of the target holders further includes a second target holder including a second target of the plurality of the targets wherein,
said first target holder is provided so that a normal line of a surface thereof is tilted by an angle between 15 degrees to 45 degrees relative to a normal line of said substrate receiving surface passing through said opening of the mask assembly, and
said second target holder is provided so that a normal line of a surface thereof is tilted by an angle between −15 degrees to −45 degrees relative to the normal line of said substrate receiving surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sputtering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mask assembly comprises a center masking part which reduces a width of a central part of the opening of the mask assembly.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The sputtering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mask assembly has a floating potential.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical rotatable target assembly further includes a plurality of magnet units each disposed adjacent to corresponding one of the plurality of target holders.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of magnet units are disposed on an inner surface of the shell of the hollow main body.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein an inside of the hollow main body is substantially at atmospheric pressure.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second pair of the two obliquely-facing target holders are each a part of the shell of the hollow main body.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of target holders are each a part of the shell of the hollow main body.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the cylindrical rotatable target assembly further includes a plurality of magnet units each disposed adjacent to corresponding one of the plurality of target holders, and wherein the plurality of magnet units are disposed on an inner surface of the shell.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hollow main body has a rectangular shape in cross section.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum enclosure includes a cylindrical lid containing the cylindrical rotatable target assembly, wherein the cylindrical lid has an arc shape in cross section.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the shell of the hollow main body includes a segment having an arc shape in cross section.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the cylindrical lid includes a drum shield surrounding the cylindrical rotatable target assembly.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the hollow main body has a rectangular shape in cross section.

### Claim 15 (depends on 2)

The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the center masking part is independently movable from the first masking part and the second masking part.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the center masking part includes a second opening.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the center masking part includes a first center masking part and a second center masking opposite to each other.