US 9,637,814 B2 · High-rate reactive sputtering of dielectric stoichiometric films

Abstract

A method of controlling a reactive sputter deposition process includes selecting a control process parameter for a target material and a reactive gas, the target material included in a target acting as a cathode, the reactive sputter deposition process involving forming a compound from a reaction between the target material and reactive gas species associated with the reactive gas in a vacuum chamber; establishing an operation regime for the reactive sputter deposition process for a given target power; and performing, based on the selected control process parameter and the established operation regime, the reactive sputter deposition process in a transition region between a metallic mode and a covered mode through a controlled pulsed reactive gas flow rate into the vacuum chamber, such that a stabilized reactive deposition of the compound on a substrate is achieved, the deposited compound on the substrate comprising a dielectric stoichiometric film.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of controlling a reactive sputter deposition process, comprising:

selecting a control process parameter for a target material and a reactive gas, the target material included in a target acting as a cathode, the reactive sputter deposition process involving forming a compound from a reaction between the target material and reactive gas species associated with the reactive gas in a vacuum chamber;
establishing an operation regime for the reactive sputter deposition process for a given target power;
and
performing, based on the selected control process parameter and the established operation regime, the reactive sputter deposition process in a transition region between a metallic mode and a covered mode through a controlled pulsed reactive gas flow rate into the vacuum chamber, such that a stabilized reactive deposition of the compound on a substrate is achieved, the deposited compound on the substrate comprising a dielectric stoichiometric film.

1 more element

A reactive sputter deposition apparatus, comprising:

a vacuum chamber;
an anode;
a reactive gas source providing a reactive gas into the vacuum chamber;
a target including a target material and acting as a cathode in the vacuum chamber;
a power supply electrically coupled to the target such that the target is selectively powered by the power supply to generate a discharge plasma in the vacuum chamber with reactive gas species associated with the reactive gas that combine with the target material to form a compound;
and
a control device configured to sense time-dependent values of a control process parameter and provide a signal to at least one mass flow controller to adjust a pulsed reactive gas flow rate into the vacuum chamber at a constant value of a non-reactive gas partial pressure to perform a stabilized reactive deposition of the compound on a substrate and with a minimized arcing in a transition region between a metallic mode and covered mode, the deposited compound on the substrate comprising a dielectric stoichiometric film.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

High-rate reactive sputtering of dielectric stoichiometric films

Life of this patent

High-rate reactive sputtering of dielectric stoichiometric films

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20