JP2002256425A - Multi-targeting device for sputtering - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To sequentially sputter several targets 9 while efficiently changing them in a short time, in a vacuum chamber 12. SOLUTION: A multi-targeting device for sputtering comprises a turntable 1 which is held as to rotate horizontally in the vacuum chamber 12, and in which the hole 14 for passing a lift of a little smaller size than a target 9 is drilled on a periphery in a definite distance far from the rotation center; a target supporting plate 2 being arranged on the turntable 1 and having a target holding part 10, for holding the target 9 at a sputtering position right over the location at which the hole 14 of the above turntable 1 stops; and a lift 11 which rises from the bottom of the hole 14, when the above hole 14 of the above turntable 1 stops right under the target holding part 10, and elevates the target 9 arranged there to the target holding part 10 of the target supporting plate 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sputtering apparatus in which high-energy particles collide with a target in a vacuum chamber, thereby firing material molecules constituting the target from the target. The present invention relates to a multi-target sputtering apparatus capable of supplying and sputtering.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a multilayer thin film is formed on a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer by a sputtering method, targets of different materials are sequentially placed on a sputter electrode in a vacuum chamber and sputtered. It is necessary to form a plurality of materials. Further, even when a single material layer is formed, when there are a plurality of substrates and a large amount of target is required, it is necessary to replace the target consumed by sputtering with another new target and perform sputtering. is there.

Conventionally, when a plurality of targets are formed by sputtering as described above, a manipulator provided at the tip of a transfer rod is inserted from a load lock cell provided on the side of a vacuum chamber maintained at a high vacuum. , Take out the sputtered target on the sputter electrode, set a new target on the sputter electrode,
This was followed by means of sputtering.

[0004]

However, in the means for introducing and exchanging a target from the outside of the vacuum chamber maintained in a high vacuum state as described above, the load lock cell is opened and closed each time and the load lock cell is opened and closed. It is necessary to evacuate to high vacuum or return to atmospheric pressure,
It requires cumbersome operation and time. Further, since it takes time to exchange the target, the time interval between the respective sputtering steps is too large, which is not preferable in terms of the film forming characteristics.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the problems in the conventional multi-target sputtering means,
A first object of the present invention is to provide a multi-target sputtering apparatus capable of efficiently exchanging a plurality of targets in a vacuum chamber in a short time and performing sequential sputtering. Further, the second purpose is to accurately align the sputtering electrode with the target,
An object of the present invention is to arrange a target at an accurate position so that sputtering can be performed.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a turntable 1 which rotates below a position where a target 9 is sputtered in a vacuum chamber 12, and a rotation center of the turntable 1 is provided. A plurality of targets 9 are arranged on a circumference at a fixed distance from the target, and by rotating the turntable 1 and stopping the positioning, the plurality of targets 9 are sequentially conveyed to a position directly below the sputtering position, and the targets are sputtered by the lift 11 there. And sputtered. After sputtering the target 9, the target 9 is lowered by the lift 11 and returned on the turntable 1, and the next target 9 is conveyed directly below the sputtering position by rotation of the turntable 1, and similarly moved to the sputtering position. It is pushed up and sputtered.
This makes it possible to sequentially exchange the plurality of targets 9 inside the vacuum chamber without sequentially introducing the plurality of targets 9 from outside the vacuum chamber.

The multi-target sputtering apparatus according to the present invention is horizontally rotatably supported in the vacuum chamber 12 and has a lift passage hole 14 having a diameter slightly smaller than that of the target 9 on a circumference at a fixed distance from the center of rotation. Is provided on the turntable 1 and the lift passage hole 14 of the turntable 1
When the target support plate 2 having the target holding part 10 holding the target 9 at the sputtering position right above the position where the target stops, and the lift passage hole 14 of the turntable 1 stops just below the target holding part 10, And a lift 11 which rises from below the lift passage hole 14, lifts the target 9 placed there, and rises to the target holding portion 10 of the target support plate 2.

In this multi-target apparatus, the target 9 is placed on the lift passage hole 14 of the turntable 1, and the turntable 1 is rotated so that the target 9 is positioned just below the sputtering position and stopped. .
In this state, when the lift 11 rises, the target 9 is placed thereon and rises, and the target 9 is placed on the target holding section 10 of the target support plate 2. In this state, the target 9 is sputtered by colliding ions generated in the vacuum chamber 12 with the target 9. As a result, molecules are released from the target 9 and adhere to the substrate to form a film.

When the sputtering of one target 9 is completed, the lift 11 descends and returns the sputtered target 9 to its original position on the turntable 1.
Thereafter, the turntable 1 is rotated to position the next target 9 immediately below the sputtering position, and then stopped. In the same manner, the next target 9 is raised to the sputter position and sputtered. In this way, sputtering is performed while sequentially switching the plurality of targets 9 in the vacuum chamber 12.

Here, the upper end portion of the lift 11 on which the target 9 is placed is the sputter electrode 4 for maintaining the target 9 at a negative potential. Thus, a negative potential is applied to the target 9 while being placed on the upper surface of the lift 11, and energy can be applied to the ions by the voltage to cause collision and sputtering.

The target support plate 2 has a portion other than the target holding portion 10 and a turntable 1 below the target support plate 2.
Is covered on the ion generation side. Accordingly, only the target 9 can be sputtered without the ions being hit against the target 9 other than the target 9 to be sputtered and sputtered.

Further, when the lift passage hole 14 of the turntable 1 is stopped immediately below the target holding section 10, there is provided a positioning mechanism for positioning the turntable 1 at that position. The positioning mechanism includes a plunger receiver 7 provided corresponding to the position of the lift passage hole 14 on the peripheral surface of the turntable 1 and an actuator 5 for inserting the tip of the plunger 6 before and after the plunger receiver 7 to position the turntable 1. Consists of

By providing such a positioning mechanism,
Since the turntable 1 is always stopped at a predetermined position and the target 9 can be moved up and down by the lift 11, the positions of the lift 1 and the lift passage hole 14 of the turntable 1, and the positions of the target 9 and the target holding portion 10 of the target support plate 2 are set. The alignment can be performed accurately. Thereby, the lift 11
When the target 9 is moved up and down, the target 9 is not damaged.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described specifically and in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIGS. 1 to 4 are views schematically showing a multi-target sputtering apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Does not show the vacuum chamber 12.

As shown in these figures, the vacuum chamber 1
2, a disk-shaped target support plate 2 is horizontally installed, and a target holding unit 10 having a circular hole is opened in the target support plate 2. The target holder 10 is provided at a position facing a substrate holder on which a substrate (not shown) on which a thin film is to be formed by sputtering is installed. In the illustrated example, two target holding portions 10 are provided on the target support plate 2. However, since one of the target holding portions 10 is not used, its hole is closed by a lid 19.

A disk-shaped turntable 1 is arranged directly below the target support plate 2 in parallel with the target support plate 2. Circular lift passage holes 14 are formed at equal intervals on one circumference at a fixed distance from the center of the turntable 1. In the illustrated example, the lift passage hole 1
4 are opened at 90 ° intervals, but when the number of targets 9 to be used is large,
4 may be provided.

The center of the turntable 1 and the lift passage hole 1
A plunger receiver 7 is provided on the imaginary straight line connecting the center of the turntable 4 and the outer peripheral edge of the turntable 1. The plunger receiver 7 is provided with a plunger insertion hole 8 in the radial direction of the turntable 1, and the plunger insertion hole 8 is provided with a taper such that the diameter is smaller on the back side than on the near side.

The center of the turntable 1 is a vertical axis 1
4, rotation is introduced into the shaft 14 from a rotation drive source (not shown) provided outside the vacuum chamber 12 via the rotation introducing machine 3 and the flange 13, and the turntable 1 rotates intermittently. In the illustrated example, the turntable 1 is 9
The position where the turntable 1 stops intermittently rotating at intervals of 0 ° is where each lift passage hole 14 is located immediately below the target holding portion 10 of the target support plate 2.

The target holder 1 of the target support plate 2
The lift 11 is provided immediately below the position where the lift passage hole 14 of the turntable 1 stops just below the zero. The lift 11 has a cylindrical shape whose outer diameter is smaller than that of the lift passage hole 14, and the upper surface thereof is provided with a sputter electrode 4 maintained at a negative potential. This lift 11
It is moved up and down in the vertical direction by an elevating mechanism 15 attached via a flange to a port 17 provided in the lower part of the vacuum chamber 12.

Further, on the side of the vacuum chamber 12, an air cylinder is provided as an actuator 5 constituting a positioning mechanism of the turntable 1. The actuator 5 is attached via a flange to a port 18 provided on the side of the vacuum chamber 12. The actuator 5 is disposed on an imaginary straight line extending from the center of the turntable 1 to the center of the lift passage hole 14 of the turntable 1 which stops just below the target holding portion 10 of the target support plate 2. Plunger 6
Strokes in the direction of the extension of the virtual straight line.

FIG. 4 shows the plunger 6 of the actuator 5.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing a state in which the tip of the plunger is fitted into a plunger insertion hole 8 of a plunger receiver 7. As shown in this figure, the tip of the plunger 6 is provided with a taper having the same gradient as that formed in the plunger insertion hole 8 of the plunger receiver 7.

Next, the operation of the sputtering multi-target apparatus will be described below. First, the peripheral portions of the targets 9 are placed on the lift passage holes 14 of the turntable 1 in the vacuum chamber 12. In this state, the pressure inside the vacuum chamber 12 is reduced to a required degree of vacuum.

When the first target 9 is to be sputtered after the pressure in the vacuum chamber 12 has been reduced, the turntable 1 is first rotated to place the first target 9 directly below the target holding portion 10 of the target support plate 2. And stop there. When the turntable 1 rotates, the plunger 6 of the actuator 5 is retracted, but when the turntable 1 stops at the above-mentioned position, the actuator 5 operates, the plunger 6 extends, and the tip thereof becomes tapered. Along with the plunger insertion hole 8 of the plunger receiver 7. As a result, the turntable 1
The first target 9 is accurately positioned so as to be located directly below the target holding portion 10 of the target support plate 2,
Will be retained.

When the turntable 1 rotates, the lift 11 is at the lowest position, and the sputter electrode 4 on the upper surface is below the turntable 1. As aforementioned,
When the first target 9 on the turntable 1 is accurately positioned so as to be located directly below the target holding portion 10 of the target support plate 2 and is stopped, the lift 11 is raised, and the first target 9 is placed on the sputter electrode 4 thereon. The target 9 is placed on the target support plate 2, and the target 9 is placed on the target holding portion 10 of the target support plate 2. This state is shown in FIG.

In this state, the inside of the vacuum chamber 12 is set to a rare gas atmosphere such as argon, and glow discharge or the like is generated in the vacuum chamber 12 to ionize the argon.
Generate ions. At this time, the sputter electrode 4 on which the target 9 is mounted is maintained at a negative voltage, and the generated ions are energized by the negative voltage of the sputter electrode 4 and collide with the target 9 to sputter the target 9. . As a result, molecules of the material constituting the target 9 are released from the target 9, and the molecules are deposited on the substrate to form a film.

When the sputtering of the first target 9 is completed, the lift 11 is lowered and the sputtered target 9 is returned to the original position on the turntable 1. Thereafter, the turntable 1 is rotated to move the next second target 9 directly below the sputtering position. Then, the turntable 1 is positioned and held in the same manner as the first target 9. In the same manner, the second target 9 is raised to the sputter position by the lift 11, and after the sputtering, the turntable 11 is returned to the original position. Hereinafter, the third and fourth targets 9 are similarly moved to perform sputtering.

As described above, in the above-described multi-target sputtering apparatus, the actuator 5 is used as a positioning mechanism, whereby the turntable 1 is mounted on the target holder 1 of the target support plate 2.
In order to accurately position and hold the target 9 just below 0, the target 9 can be placed at an accurate position and sputtering can be performed. In particular, lift 11 and target 9
Since the displacement does not occur, the target 9 can be safely operated without being damaged.

Although the air cylinder is used as the actuator 5 of the positioning mechanism in the above-described example, the same positioning is possible by using another type of actuator such as a solenoid or an electromagnetic clutch. In addition, since the turntable 1 basically has only to be positioned in the circumferential direction, that is, the rotation angle thereof, the shape of the insertion portion on the side receiving the plunger 6 is formed in the tapered plunger insertion hole 8. Alternatively, it may be fitted into a vertical V-shaped groove.

[0029]

As described above, in the multi-target sputtering apparatus according to the present invention, the vacuum chamber 1
Since the plurality of targets 9 can be sequentially changed within 2 and sputtering can be performed, the plurality of targets 9 can be sequentially and efficiently sputtered. Thereby, sputtering can be performed efficiently without taking much time.

In addition, since a plurality of targets 9 can be sequentially formed on the substrate by sputtering without leaving time, a high-quality film can be formed without contamination or change on the surface of the substrate during the sputtering. Further, by positioning the turntable 1 by the positioning mechanism, the turntable 1 on which the target 9 is placed is stopped at an accurate position, and the target 9 can be moved up and down by the lift 11, so that the target 9 can be safely operated without damage or the like. Becomes possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing only essential elements, excluding a vacuum chamber and the like, showing a multi-target sputtering apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a multi-target sputtering apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part showing a part of a positioning mechanism of the turntable of FIG. 3;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Turntable 2 Target support plate 4 Sputtering electrode 5 Actuator 7 Plunger receiver 9 Target 10 Target holding part of target support plate 11 Lift 12 Vacuum chamber 14 Lift passage hole of turntable

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A sputtering multi-target apparatus for sequentially supplying a plurality of sputtering targets (9) to a sputtering position in a vacuum chamber (12), supported in a horizontally rotatable manner in the vacuum chamber (12), A lift passage hole (14) with a diameter slightly smaller than the target (9) on the circumference at a certain distance from the center of rotation.
And a turntable (1) having a perforated hole, and the turntable (1) disposed on the turntable (1).
A target support plate (2) having a target holding part (10) for holding a target (9) at a sputtering position just above a position where the lift passage hole (14) of the turntable (1) stops; When the hole (14) stops just below the target holding part (10), it rises from below the lift passage hole (14), lifts the target (9) disposed there, and lifts the target on the target support plate (2). A multi-target apparatus for sputtering, comprising: a lift (11) for raising the holder (10). 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the upper end of the lift on which the target is placed is a sputter electrode for maintaining the target at a negative potential. Multi-target device for sputtering. 3. The target support plate (2) covers a turntable (1) thereunder at a portion other than the target holding portion (10) with respect to an ion generation side. Or the multi-target apparatus for sputtering according to 2. 4. When the lift passage hole (14) of the turntable (1) stops right below the target holding part (10), a positioning mechanism for positioning the turntable (1) at that position is provided. Claim 1.
The multi-target apparatus for sputtering according to any one of claims 1 to 3. 5. The turntable 1 according to claim 1, wherein the positioning mechanism is a turntable.
Positioning the turntable (1) by inserting the plunger receiver (7) provided corresponding to the position of the lift passage hole (14) on the peripheral surface of the plunger and the tip of the plunger (6) before and after the plunger receiver (7) The multi-target apparatus for sputtering according to claim 4, further comprising an actuator (5) for performing sputtering.