# US RE46,599 E1 · Sputtering apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US RE46,599 E1 - Document ID: USRE46599E1 - Status: Granted - Kind: E1 - Application number: 15/365,512 - Filed: 2016-11-30 - Granted: 2017-11-07 - Earliest claimed: 2011-01-06 - Assignees: Sputtering Components, Inc. - Applicants: Sputtering Components, Inc. - Inventors: Daniel Theodore Crowley; William A. Meredith, Jr. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/USRE46599E1 ## CPC - C23C 14/35: by application of a magnetic field, e.g. magnetron sputtering {(C23C14/3457 takes precedence)} - C23C 14/354: {Introduction of auxiliary energy into the plasma} - H01J 37/342: {Hollow targets} - H01J 37/3405: {Magnetron sputtering} - H01J 37/345: {Magnet arrangements in particular for cathodic sputtering apparatus (material of magnets or magnets in general H01F1/00, H01F7/00)} - H01J 37/347: {Thickness uniformity of coated layers or desired profile of target erosion} - H01J 37/3452: {Magnet distribution} - H01J 37/3482: {Detecting or avoiding eroding through} - 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) - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract In one embodiment, a magnetron assembly comprises a plurality of magnets and a yoke configured to hold the plurality of magnets in at least four independent linear arrays. The plurality of magnets is arranged in the yoke so as to form a pattern comprising an outer portion and an inner portion. The outer portion substantially surrounds the perimeter of the inner portion. The magnets used to form the outer portion have a first polarity and the magnets used to form the inner portion having a second polarity. The outer portion of the pattern comprises a pair of elongated sections that are substantially parallel to one another. The outer portion of the pattern comprises a pair of turnaround sections, wherein each turnaround section substantially spans respective ends of the pair of elongated sections and wherein each turnaround section comprises a plurality of magnets having the first polarity. Other embodiments are described. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A magnetron assembly comprising: a plurality of magnets; and a yoke configured to hold all of the plurality of magnets within four straight, parallel, and independent linear arrays, the linear arrays comprising two outer linear arrays and two inner linear arrays; wherein the plurality of magnets is arranged in the yoke so as to form a pattern comprising an outer portion and an inner portion, wherein the outer portion substantially surrounds the perimeter of the inner portion; wherein the magnets used to form the outer portion are oriented to utilize a first polarity and the magnets used to form the inner portion are oriented to utilize a second polarity; wherein the outer portion of the pattern comprises: the outer linear arrays of the first polarity; and magnets at the ends of the inner linear arrays, the magnets at the ends of the inner linear arrays having the first polarity and the magnets that make up the majority of the inner linear arrays having the second polarity; and wherein magnets of the two inner linear arrays having the second polarity are laterally offset from each other so as to form a magnetic step. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The magnetron assembly of claim 1, wherein magnets at the ends of the two inner linear arrays having the first polarity are laterally offset from each other so as to maintain the magnetic step. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The magnetron assembly of claim 1, wherein magnets of the two inner linear arrays having the second polarity are laterally offset from each other so as to form a respective magnetic step at each end of the pattern. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The magnetron assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of magnets has a geometry, size, or magnetic strength that differs from at least one of the other magnets. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The magnetron assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of magnets has a tapered shape that alters a direction of an associated plasma drift pattern, wherein the direction of the taper is evident in a radial projection of the assembly and is not evident in a cross-sectional view of the assembly. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The magnetron assembly of claim 1, wherein at least some of the magnets from the two inner linear arrays that are laterally offset from each other have lengths that differ from one another in order to form the magnetic step. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The magnetron assembly of claim 1, wherein the yoke is configured so that the pattern formed by the plurality of magnets can be re-configured without modifying the yoke and by doing at least one of: changing the polarity of at least some of the magnets held by the yoke and changing the length of at least some of the magnets held by the yoke. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The magnetron assembly of claim 1, wherein at least some of the magnets are at least partially held in place within the yoke using magnetic force. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The magnetron assembly of claim 1, wherein the yoke comprises at least one channel into which at least one of the plurality of magnets is inserted. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The magnetron assembly of claim 9, wherein the yoke comprises at least four channels, wherein each of the independent linear arrays is held in the yoke within a respective one of the channels. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The magnetron assembly of claim 9, wherein at least two of the independent linear arrays are held in the yoke within a single channel. ### Claim 12 A sputtering system comprising: a chamber through which a substrate moves; a cathode assembly comprising: an elongated rotatable cylindrical tube mounted in the chamber and having a target surface; a magnetron assembly positioned within the elongated rotatable cylindrical tube, the magnetron assembly comprising: a plurality of magnets; and a yoke configured to hold all of the plurality of magnets within four straight, parallel, and independent linear arrays, the linear arrays comprising two outer linear arrays and two inner linear arrays; wherein the plurality of magnets is arranged in the yoke so as to form a pattern comprising an outer portion and an inner portion, wherein the outer portion substantially surrounds the perimeter of the inner portion; wherein the magnets used to form the outer portion are oriented to utilize a first polarity and the magnets used to form the inner portion are oriented to utilize a second polarity; wherein the outer portion of the pattern comprises: the outer linear arrays of the first polarity; and magnets at the ends of the inner linear arrays, the magnets at the ends of the inner linear arrays having the first polarity and the magnets that make up the majority of the inner linear arrays having the second polarity; and wherein magnets of the two inner linear arrays having the second polarity are laterally offset from each other so as to form a magnetic step. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, further comprising a drive system to support and rotate the elongated rotatable cylindrical tube. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the system is configured to form a plasma within the chamber in connection with depositing a film on the substrate as it moves through the chamber. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein magnets at the ends of the two inner linear arrays having the first polarity are laterally offset from each other so as to maintain the magnetic step. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein magnets of the two inner linear arrays having the second polarity are laterally offset from each other so as to form a respective magnetic step at each end of the pattern. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the plurality of magnets has a geometry, size, or magnetic strength that differs from at least one of the other magnets. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the plurality of magnets has a tapered shape. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein each of the magnets comprises a square cross section. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein at least some of the magnets from the two inner linear arrays that are laterally offset from each other have lengths that differ from one another in order to form the magnetic step. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the yoke is configured so that the pattern formed by the plurality of magnets can be re-configured without modifying the yoke and by doing at least one of: changing the polarity of at least some of the magnets held by the yoke and changing the length of at least some of the magnets held by the yoke. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein at least some of the magnets are at least partially held in place within the yoke using magnetic force. ### Claim 23 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the yoke comprises at least one channel into which at least one of the plurality of magnets is inserted. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The system of claim 23, wherein the yoke comprises at least four channels, wherein each of the independent linear arrays is held in the yoke within a respective one of the channels. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The system of claim 23, wherein at least two of the independent linear arrays are held in the yoke within a single channel. ### Claim 26 A magnetron assembly comprising: a plurality of magnets; and a yoke configured to hold the plurality of magnets; wherein the plurality of magnets is arranged to form a pattern comprising an outer portion and an inner portion, wherein the outer portion substantially surrounds a perimeter of the inner portion; wherein the magnets of the inner portion are oriented to utilize a first polarity and the magnets of the outer portion are each oriented to utilize a respective polarity other than the first polarity; wherein the pattern comprises a respective turnaround portion at each end of the pattern; wherein the magnets of at least one turnaround portion are in at least four straight, parallel, and independent linear arrays, the linear arrays comprising at least two inner linear arrays that include some of the magnets of the inner portion of the pattern and some of the magnets of the outer portion of the pattern; and wherein some of the magnets in the inner linear arrays are oriented to have laterally offset polarities so as to form a magnetic step in the at least one turnaround portion. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The magnetron assembly of claim 26, wherein magnets at the ends of the two inner linear arrays are laterally offset from each other so as to maintain the magnetic step. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The magnetron assembly of claim 26, wherein magnets of the two inner linear arrays are laterally offset from each other so as to form a respective magnetic step at each end of the pattern. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The magnetron assembly of claim 26, wherein at least one of the plurality of magnets has a geometry, size, or magnetic strength that differs from at least one of the other magnets. ### Claim 30 (depends on 26) The magnetron assembly of claim 26, wherein at least one of the plurality of magnets has a tapered shape that alters a direction of an associated plasma drift pattern, wherein the direction of the taper is evident in a radial projection of the assembly and is not evident in a cross-sectional view of the assembly. ### Claim 31 (depends on 26) The magnetron assembly of claim 26, wherein at least some of the magnets from the inner linear arrays have lengths that differ from one another in order to form the magnetic step. ### Claim 32 (depends on 26) The magnetron assembly of claim 26, wherein the yoke is configured so that the pattern formed by the plurality of magnets can be re-configured without modifying the yoke and by doing at least one of: changing the polarity of at least some of the magnets held by the yoke, and changing the length of at least some of the magnets held by the yoke. ### Claim 33 (depends on 26) The magnetron assembly of claim 26, wherein at least some of the magnets are at least partially held in place within the yoke using magnetic force. ### Claim 34 (depends on 26) The magnetron assembly of claim 26, wherein the yoke comprises at least one channel into which at least one of the plurality of magnets is inserted. ### Claim 35 (depends on 26) The magnetron assembly of claim 26, wherein the yoke comprises at least four channels, wherein each of the independent linear arrays is held in the yoke within a respective one of the channels. ### Claim 36 (depends on 26) The magnetron assembly of claim 26, wherein at least two of the independent linear arrays are held in the yoke within a single channel. ### Claim 37 A sputtering system comprising: a chamber through which a substrate moves; and a cathode assembly comprising: an elongated rotatable cylindrical tube mounted in the chamber and having a target surface; a magnetron assembly positioned within the elongated rotatable cylindrical tube, the magnetron assembly comprising: a plurality of magnets; and a yoke configured to hold the plurality of magnets; wherein the plurality of magnets is arranged to form a pattern comprising an outer portion and an inner portion, wherein the outer portion substantially surrounds a perimeter of the inner portion; wherein the magnets of the inner portion are oriented to utilize a first polarity and the magnets of the outer portion are each oriented to utilize a respective polarity other than the first polarity; wherein the pattern comprises a respective turnaround portion at each end of the pattern; wherein the magnets of at least one turnaround portion are in at least four straight, parallel, and independent linear arrays, the linear arrays comprising at least two inner linear arrays that include some of the magnets of the inner portion of the pattern and some of the magnets of the outer portion of the pattern; and wherein some of the magnets in the inner linear arrays are oriented to have laterally offset polarities so as to form a magnetic step in the at least one turnaround portion. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, further comprising a drive system to support and rotate the elongated rotatable cylindrical tube. ### Claim 39 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein the system is configured to form a plasma within the chamber in connection with depositing a film on the substrate as it moves through the chamber. ### Claim 40 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein magnets at the ends of the two inner linear arrays are laterally offset from each other so as to maintain the magnetic step. ### Claim 41 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein magnets of the two inner linear arrays are laterally offset from each other so as to form a respective magnetic step at each end of the pattern. ### Claim 42 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein at least one of the plurality of magnets has a geometry, size, or magnetic strength that differs from at least one of the other magnets. ### Claim 43 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein at least one of the plurality of magnets has a tapered shape. ### Claim 44 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein each of the magnets comprises a square cross section. ### Claim 45 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein at least some of the magnets from the two inner linear arrays have lengths that differ from one another in order to form the magnetic step.