Physical vapor deposition system using rotating pallet with X and Y positioning

A physical vapor deposition device comprising:

• a chamber having inner walls, the chamber being configured to create a low pressure environment in the chamber while sputtering materials on a workpiece;
• a plurality of targets positioned within the chamber, a front side of the targets being directed into the chamber for sputtering material from the targets onto the workpiece;
• a pallet within the chamber for supporting the workpiece, the pallet having a diameter that is less than a diameter of the chamber;
• a first motor coupled to the pallet for rotating the pallet;
• an XY shifting device for shifting the pallet and workpiece in an XY plane within the chamber to enable shifting a center of the pallet with respect to a center of the chamber;
• a plurality of magnets, each magnet opposing a back side of an associated target, wherein each magnet is smaller than its associated target;
• a scanning actuator coupled to the magnets for scanning each magnet back and forth in an arc only behind its associated target;
• and
• a plurality of linear actuators coupled to respective magnets for shifting the magnets generally radially with respect to the arc to allow the magnets to move substantially between an area of its associated target closest to a center of the chamber and an area of its associated target furthest from the center of the chamber;
• a controller system configured to control the linear actuators such that the magnets are moved substantially only over portions of the workpiece that are directly below one or more of the targets;
• and
• a rectangular workpiece having corners and flat sides, wherein the controller controls the linear actuators to move the magnets further away from the center of the chamber when a corner of the workpiece is below one or more of the targets and more toward the center of the chamber when a side of the workpiece is below one or more of the targets.

A method for performing a sputtering operation using a sputtering chamber, wherein a plurality of targets is positioned within the chamber and a front side of the targets is directed into the chamber for sputtering material from the targets onto a workpiece, the method comprising:

• providing a pallet within the chamber for supporting a workpiece, the pallet having a diameter that is less than a diameter of the chamber;
• rotating the pallet via a first motor coupled to the pallet;
• shifting the pallet and workpiece in an XY plane within the chamber using an XY shifting device to shift a center of the pallet with respect to a center of the chamber to position at least a portion of the workpiece below one or more of the targets;
• providing a plurality of magnets, each magnet opposing a back side of an associated target, wherein each magnet is smaller than its associated target, wherein no target is positioned over a center of the chamber;
• scanning each magnet back and forth in an arc only behind its associated target;
• shifting the magnets generally radially with respect to the arc, using a plurality of linear actuators coupled to respective magnets, to allow the magnets to move substantially between an area of its associated target closest to a center of the chamber and an area of its associated target furthest from the center of the chamber;
• and
• controlling the linear actuators, rotation of the pallet, and the XY shifting of the pallet such that the magnets are moved substantially only over portions of the workpiece that are directly below one or more of the targets, resulting in reduced sputtering material being deposited on the pallet.