JP2024510163A - Sputtering coating equipment and equipment and its sputtering coating assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention discloses a sputtering coating device and a sputtering coating assembly, and the sputtering coating device is for forming a film layer on the surface of a substrate by a sputtering coating method by impacting a target material, and the sputtering coating device The coating apparatus includes a reaction cavity having a reaction chamber, an electrode assembly, and a discharge coil assembly, the electrode assembly and the discharge coil assembly being disposed within the reaction chamber, and during sputter coating, the substrate is disposed within the reaction chamber. the target material is disposed on the electrode assembly, the electrode assembly and the discharge coil assembly are electrically connected to a radio frequency power supply, and the radio frequency power supply causes the electrode assembly and the discharge coil assembly to be operated. A radio frequency current is provided to cause the film to be deposited on the surface of the substrate to form a film layer.

Description

This application was filed with the Chinese Patent Office on March 12, 2021, and the application number is 202110269016.2, and the invention title is "Sputtering coating device and equipment and its sputtering coating assembly" Chinese patent application. , the entire contents of which are incorporated into this application by reference.

The present invention relates to the field of coating, and more particularly to sputter coating equipment and equipment and sputter coating assemblies thereof.

Sputtering coating is a widely used physical vapor deposition method for producing surface coating layers. In a vacuum chamber, charged particles bombard the surface of the target, and the particles that come out from the bombardment are used to coat the base material. This technology forms a coating layer by depositing it on the surface. Compared with traditional vacuum deposition, sputtering coating has stronger adhesion between the film layer and the substrate, which facilitates the production of high-melting substance films, and reactive sputtering can be carried out to produce compound films. There are many advantages, such as:

The simplest sputtering coating method is DC diode sputtering, in which a pair of cathode and anode constitutes a glow discharge structure, and then sputtering coating is performed. In the DC diode sputtering method, the cathode is used as a sputtering target, the substrate to be coated is placed between two electrodes or on the anode, and DC high pressure is applied between the two electrodes at an appropriate air pressure to discharge gas and create plasma. The ions accelerate the impact on the cathode target under the action of the cathode electric field, and the target material is sputtered out from the surface and deposited on the surface of the substrate to form a coating layer. However, since the discharge efficiency of the DC diode is low, the plasma density is low, resulting in low sputtering yield and low deposition rate. Direct current diode sputtering is rarely used in practice.

In order to increase the sputtering coating efficiency, people have improved the common DC diode sputtering, installed a magnet behind the cathode target, and formed a strong magnetic field of several hundred Gauss or more near the cathode, directing the electrons to the vicinity of the cathode. It is a well-known direct current magnetron sputtering method that the discharge efficiency is greatly increased and the sputtering rate is greatly increased by restricting the irradiation to Direct current magnetron sputtering methods are very widely applied in the fabrication of metal, alloy, and conductive compound coating layers.

However, neither the DC diode sputtering method nor the DC magnetron sputtering method can be used to fabricate the insulating material coated layer because it is not possible to generate a discharge using the insulating material as a cathode. In order to produce an insulating material coating layer using the sputtering effect, people have thought of using radio frequency discharge, applying a radio frequency voltage between two electrodes, and sputtering the target material, which is an insulating material, into a sheet. and the substrate to be coated is placed between the two electrodes or on the ground electrode. The radio frequency electric field passes through the target, which is an insulating material, and discharges between the two poles to generate plasma. Together with the plasma, it acts on the surface of the target, which is an insulating material, forming a self-bias, which causes ions to bombard the target material. With acceleration, the target material is sputtered out and deposited on the surface of the substrate to form a coating layer. This sputtering coating method using radio frequency discharge is called radio frequency sputtering. A typical radio frequency sputtering frequency is 13.56 MHz.

Similar to DC diode sputtering methods, radio frequency sputtering methods also suffer from low discharge efficiency, low plasma density, and low sputtering yield and deposition rate. To solve this problem, one natural solution is to combine a radio frequency discharge and a magnetron cathode, that is, apply a radio frequency voltage to the magnetron sputtering target, which is radio frequency magnetron sputtering.

However, radio frequency magnetron sputtering did not provide significant deposition efficiency improvements over DC magnetron sputtering over DC diode sputtering. Compared to radio frequency sputtering, radio frequency magnetron sputtering has very limited deposition rate improvement. Typical DC magnetron sputtering has a deposition rate of several hundred nanometers per minute, whereas typical radio frequency magnetron sputtering has a deposition rate of only a few nanometers per minute, which is very low. Deposition rates significantly limit the application of radio frequency magnetron sputtering in industry. The fabrication of insulating films in many industries employs alternative methods such as chemical vapor deposition to obtain acceptable coating layer efficiencies, although they are usually associated with problems such as impurities and contamination. Radio frequency magnetron sputtering is often employed in basic scientific research where cost is not an consideration.

In fact, a detailed analysis using plasma physics knowledge shows that radio frequency magnetron sputtering is not a reasonable solution. The presence of a magnetic field in the vicinity of the target suppresses the response of the electrons to the radio frequency electric field due to the cyclotron motion of the electrons, thereby suppressing the absorption of radio frequency energy by the electrons. So, on the one hand, it weakens the ionization and, on the other hand, it weakens the self-biasing effect, so that the energy and flux of the ions in the impact target material cannot be effectively increased either. This is the reason why the deposition efficiency of radio frequency magnetron sputtering cannot be significantly improved.

One advantage of the present invention is to provide a sputter coating apparatus and equipment and sputter coating assembly thereof that does not require the formation of a magnetic field to increase plasma density and avoids electron cyclotrons due to the presence of a magnetic field.

One advantage of the present invention is to provide a sputtering coating apparatus and equipment, and a sputtering coating assembly thereof, which form a high-density plasma in a space near a target material through cooperation between a discharge coil and an electrode to quickly form a film layer. It is to provide.

One advantage of the present invention is to provide sputter coating equipment and equipment and sputter coating assemblies thereof that can form film layers of insulating or non-insulating materials, i.e., with fewer restrictions on the type of film layer material. .

One advantage of the present invention is that the sputter coating apparatus operates without the use of a magnetic field, thus avoiding spatial inhomogeneities caused by magnetically confined plasmas and resulting in more uniform film layers formed. and equipment and its sputtering coating assembly.

One advantage of the present invention is that the electrode, target material, and discharge coil cover each other in a large area, so that the etching of the target material is uniform, and the utilization rate of the target material is high. Sputtering coating equipment and equipment and their sputtering coating is to provide assembly.

One advantage of the present invention is that the dielectric layer separates the electrode and the target material so that different types of target materials can be efficiently deposited on the surface of the substrate, and that the electrical performance of the target material It is an object of the present invention to provide a sputtering coating device and equipment, and a sputtering coating assembly thereof, which does not affect efficiency.

One advantage of the present invention is that, in one embodiment, the coil discharge region is constrained by a standoff sleeve, and the electrode discharge region and the discharge region of the discharge coil are coupled in a forward direction before being sputtered to interact with each other in the source gas. The present invention provides apparatuses and equipment and sputtering coating assemblies thereof.

One advantage of the present invention is to provide sputter coating apparatus and equipment and sputter coating assemblies thereof, in which the sputter deposition region is located in the vicinity of, e.g., above, below, vertically, diagonally above, or diagonally below the electrode and the discharge coil. It is to be.

One advantage of the present invention is that, in one embodiment, the deposition region is located in the parallel region of the electrode and coil, making it easy to perform multilayer or batch coatings around the target material. A sputtering coating assembly is provided.

One advantage of the present invention is that, in one embodiment, sputter coating apparatus and equipment and sputter coating assemblies thereof form multiple sputter deposition regions in parallel to facilitate large area or batch sputter deposition coatings. The goal is to provide the following.

In order to achieve at least one of the above advantages, one aspect of the present invention provides a sputtering coating apparatus for forming a film layer on the surface of a substrate by impacting a target material with a sputtering coating method. And,
a reaction cavity having a reaction chamber;
an electrode assembly;
a discharge coil assembly;
The electrode assembly and the discharge coil assembly are provided in the reaction chamber, and during sputter coating, the substrate is accommodated in the reaction chamber, the target material is provided in the electrode assembly, and the electrode assembly and the discharge coil assembly are disposed in the reaction chamber. is electrically connected to a radio frequency power supply, and the radio frequency power supply provides operating radio frequency current to the electrode assembly and the discharge coil assembly to deposit on the surface of the substrate to form a film layer. .

According to the sputtering coating apparatus described in one embodiment, the electrode assembly includes a discharge electrode and a dielectric layer laminated on the discharge side of the discharge electrode, and the target material is laminated on the dielectric layer. will be installed.

According to the sputtering coating apparatus described in one embodiment, the electrode assembly includes a discharge electrode, and the target material is provided directly on the discharge side of the discharge electrode.

According to the sputtering coating apparatus according to one embodiment, the discharge coil assembly is located below the electrode assembly, and the base body is suitable to be provided below the discharge coil assembly.

According to the sputtering coating apparatus according to one embodiment, the discharge coil assembly includes a coil and a standoff sleeve, and the coil is wound around the standoff sleeve.

According to the sputtering coating apparatus described in one embodiment, the spacing sleeve has a first opening, a second opening, and a spacing space, and the spacing space has a spacing between the first opening and the second opening. communicates with the outside through the first opening toward the target material and the second opening toward the substrate.

According to the sputtering coating apparatus according to one embodiment, one end of the electrode assembly and the discharge coil assembly are commonly connected to an output end of the radio frequency power source, and the other end of the reaction cavity and the discharge coil assembly are connected in common to the output end of the radio frequency power source. , commonly connected to the ground terminal of the radio frequency power source.

According to the sputtering coating apparatus according to one embodiment, the center axis of the discharge coil assembly is perpendicular to the electrode assembly.

According to the sputtering coating apparatus according to one embodiment, the discharge coil assembly includes a coil, the coil is a planar solenoid coil, and the coil is provided on one side of the discharge electrode.

According to the sputtering coating apparatus according to one embodiment, the electrode assembly has an inner space, and the discharge coil assembly is provided in the inner space.

According to the sputtering coating apparatus described in one embodiment, the electrode assembly includes a discharge electrode and a dielectric layer surrounding the discharge electrode, and the target material is provided outside the dielectric layer.

According to the sputtering coating apparatus described in one embodiment, the electrode assembly includes a discharge electrode, and the target material is provided directly on the discharge side of the discharge electrode.

According to the sputtering coating apparatus according to one embodiment, the discharge coil assembly is installed coaxially with the electrode assembly.

According to the sputtering coating apparatus described in one embodiment, the discharge electrode includes a plurality of electrode units, the inner space is formed by arranging the plurality of electrode units in a ring shape, and two adjacent A gap is provided between the electrode units.

According to the sputtering coating apparatus according to one embodiment, the gap is filled with an insulating material.

According to the sputtering coating apparatus described in one embodiment, the dielectric layer has a continuous cylindrical structure.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a sputtering coating equipment for forming a film layer on the surface of a substrate by a sputtering coating method by impacting a target material, the equipment comprising:
a reaction cavity having a reaction chamber;
an electrode assembly;
a discharge coil assembly;
including a radio frequency power source;
The electrode assembly and the discharge coil assembly are disposed in the reaction chamber of the reaction cavity, the target material is disposed in the electrode assembly, and during sputter coating, the substrate is housed in the reaction chamber and the electrode assembly and the discharge coil assembly are disposed in the reaction chamber. A discharge coil assembly is electrically connected to the radio frequency power supply, and the radio frequency power supply provides an operating radio frequency current to the electrode assembly and the discharge coil assembly, thereby depositing on the surface of the substrate. Form a membrane layer.

According to the sputtering coating equipment described in one embodiment, the electrode assembly includes a discharge electrode and a dielectric layer laminated on the discharge side of the discharge electrode, and the target material is laminated on the dielectric layer. will be installed.

According to the sputtering coating equipment according to one embodiment, the electrode assembly includes a discharge electrode, and the target material is provided directly on the discharge side of the discharge electrode.

According to the sputtering coating equipment according to one embodiment, the discharge coil assembly includes a coil and a standoff sleeve, and the coil is wound on the standoff sleeve.

According to the sputtering coating equipment according to one embodiment, the discharge coil assembly includes a coil, the coil is a planar solenoid coil, and the coil is provided on one side of the electrode assembly.

According to the sputtering coating equipment according to one embodiment, the electrode assembly has an inner space, and the discharge coil assembly is installed in the inner space.

According to the sputtering coating equipment according to one embodiment, the electrode assembly includes a discharge electrode and a dielectric layer surrounding the discharge electrode, and the target material is provided outside the dielectric layer.

Another aspect of the invention provides a sputter coating discharge assembly mounted within a reaction cavity and suitable for sputter coating a substrate in said reaction cavity, the assembly comprising:
an electrode assembly;
including a coil;
During sputter coating, the target material is disposed on the electrode assembly, the coil is disposed on the target material, the electrode assembly and the coil are electrically connected to a radio frequency power supply, and the radio frequency power supply supplies the electrode to the target material. The assembly and the coil are provided with operative radio frequency current to deposit and form a film layer on the surface of the substrate.

According to the sputtering coating discharge assembly described in one embodiment, the electrode assembly includes a discharge electrode and a dielectric layer laminated on the discharge side of the discharge electrode, and the target material is attached to the dielectric layer. Installed in layers.

According to the sputtering coating discharge assembly according to one embodiment, the electrode assembly includes a discharge electrode, and the target material is provided directly on the discharge side of the discharge electrode.

According to the sputtering coating discharge assembly according to one embodiment, the discharge coil assembly includes a coil, the coil is a planar solenoid coil, and the coil is provided on one side of the discharge electrode.

1 is a schematic diagram of a sputtering coating apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the relative positions of different embodiments of an electrode assembly and a discharge coil assembly of a sputtering coating apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the relative positions of different embodiments of an electrode assembly and a discharge coil assembly of a sputtering coating apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the relative positions of the discharge coil assembly and target material in different embodiments of the sputtering coating apparatus according to the first embodiment of the invention; FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the relative positions of the discharge coil assembly and the target material in different embodiments of the sputter coating apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a sputtering coating apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a multilayer stand of a sputtering coating apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a sputtering coating apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a sputtering coating apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a sputtering coating apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

The following description is provided to disclose the invention to enable any person skilled in the art to make the invention. The preferred embodiments in the following description are given by way of example only, and other obvious variations will occur to those skilled in the art. The basic principles of the invention as defined in the following description may be applied to other embodiments, variations, improvements, equivalents, and other technical solutions without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Those skilled in the art should understand that in the disclosure of the present invention, the terms "vertical", "lateral", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right" , "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc. indicate directions or positional relationships based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the drawings. It is not intended to indicate or imply that any device or element necessarily has a particular orientation, is to be constructed or operated in a particular orientation, and is merely intended to conveniently and simplify the description of the invention; Therefore, the above terminology cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

As will be understood, the term "one" should be understood as "at least one" or "one or more", i.e., in one embodiment, the number of elements is one and Alternatively, in other embodiments, the number of elements may be plural, and the term "one" is not to be understood as a limitation on quantity.

Examples describing the invention, such as references such as "one embodiment," "embodiment," "illustrative embodiment," "various embodiments," "some embodiments," etc. Although each embodiment is not required to include this feature, structure, or characteristic, each embodiment may include the feature, structure, or characteristic of the invention. Note that some embodiments may have some, all, or none of the features described for other embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a sputter coating apparatus 1 according to a first embodiment of the invention. 2A-2B are schematic illustrations of the relative positions of different embodiments of an electrode assembly and a discharge coil assembly of a sputter coating apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 3A-3B are schematic illustrations of the relative positions of the discharge coil assembly and target material in different embodiments of a sputter coating apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the present invention provides a sputtering coating apparatus 1, which bombards the surface of a target material 200 with charged particles and transfers the particles that come out due to the impact onto the surface of a base 100. Deposited to form a coated layer or film. That is, the sputtering coating apparatus 1 forms a film on the surface of the substrate 100 or at a predetermined position using the process principle of sputtering coating.

The sputtering coating device 1 is suitable for forming an insulating film layer or a non-insulating film layer by a sputtering coating method, and examples thereof include, but are not limited to, coating layers formed of metals, alloys, and conductive compounds. First, raw materials for the insulating coating layer include, but are not limited to, silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, zinc oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, boron nitride, and diamond-like carbon. Examples of the coating layer include, but are not limited to, titanium nitride, chromium nitride, indium tin oxide, yttrium barium copper oxide, and examples of the target material 200 include silicon, aluminum, titanium, chromium, Examples include, but are not limited to, graphite, boron nitride, indium tin oxide, and yttrium/barium/copper oxide.

The sputtering coating apparatus 1 includes a reaction cavity 10, an electrode assembly 20, and a discharge coil assembly 30. The reaction cavity 10 has a reaction chamber 101 for providing a working space for sputtering coating. During sputter coating, the target material 200 and the substrate 100 are housed in the reaction chamber 101, and the target material 200 is attached to the electrode assembly 20. The electrode assembly 20 and the discharge coil assembly 30 are installed in the reaction chamber 101 of the reaction cavity 10 to facilitate sputtering coating through cooperative discharge between the electrode assembly 20 and the discharge coil assembly 30. Preferably, the reaction cavity 10 is a metal cavity, so that it cooperates with the electrode assembly 20 to generate discharge.

The reaction chamber 101 of the reaction cavity 10 is suitable for introducing reaction materials necessary for coating, plasma source gas, or other auxiliary materials such as an inert gas. That is, during sputtering coating, the material constituting the target material 200 and the introduced reactive gas raw material are deposited together to form a film layer.

The electrode assembly 20 and the discharge coil assembly 30 of the sputtering coating apparatus 1 are electrically connected to a radio frequency power source 40 for providing a radio frequency current to operate the electrode assembly 20 and the discharge coil assembly 30. It is possible. In one embodiment of the invention, the electrode assembly 20 and the discharge coil assembly 30 are commonly connected to one radio frequency power source 40, that is, the electrode assembly 20 and the discharge coil assembly 30 share a power source; Alternatively, they are connected in parallel and have matching operating potentials. In another implementation of the invention, the electrode assembly 20 and the discharge coil assembly 30 can be electrically connected to two independent radio frequency power sources 40, respectively, that is, the electrode assembly 20 and the discharge coil assembly Each of the coil assemblies 30 can be independently controlled. When the electrode assembly 20 and the discharge coil assembly 30 are independently controlled, the electrode assembly 20 and the discharge coil assembly 30 can be respectively controlled by two different frequency power sources, for example, the The discharge coil assembly 30 is loaded with a high frequency of 13.56 MHz to 60 MHz, and the electrode assembly 20 is loaded with a low frequency of 300 kHz to 13.56 MHz to prevent mutual interference between the two power sources. Preferably, the electrode assembly 20 and the discharge coil assembly 30 share a power source, and when the electrode assembly 20 and the discharge coil assembly 30 share a power source, the problem of mutual synchronization between the power sources is controlled. There is no need for this, and no mutual interference occurs.

It is worth noting that the radio frequency power supply 40 may be one component included in the sputter coating apparatus 1, and may be an integral part of the apparatus operating in cooperation with the sputter coating apparatus 1, which is purchased directly. The present invention is not limited in this respect. The radio frequency power source 40 and the sputtering coating device 1 constitute a sputtering coating equipment. The radio frequency power source 40 may be directly attached to the sputter coating apparatus 1 or may be arranged independently.

In one embodiment of the present invention, one end of the electrode assembly 20 and the discharge coil assembly 30 are commonly connected to the output end of the radio frequency power source 40, and the other end of the reaction cavity 10 and the discharge coil assembly 30 are connected in common to the output end of the radio frequency power source 40. , are commonly connected to the ground terminal of the radio frequency power source 40.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the sputtering coating device 1 can be connected to a source supply device for conveying a reactant gas source, a plasma source, etc. into the reaction chamber 101 of the reaction cavity 10 . The reaction cavity 10 can be connected to a bleed device for extracting gas within the reaction chamber 101 of the reaction cavity 10 to maintain the reaction chamber 101 of the reaction cavity 10 within a preset air pressure range. It is.

The electrode assembly 20 and the discharge coil assembly 30 cooperate with each other to form a sputtering coating assembly. The sputter coating assembly is provided within the reaction chamber 101 and is suitable to be connected to the radio frequency power source 40 to perform sputter coating on the surface of the substrate.

The electrode assembly 20 includes a discharge electrode 21 and a dielectric layer 22 provided on the discharge electrode 21. The target material 200 is suitable for being connected to the dielectric layer 22. That is, the dielectric layer 22 is provided between the discharge electrode 21 and the target material 200, or the dielectric layer 22 separates the discharge electrode 21 and the target material 200 from each other. Furthermore, the dielectric layer 22 and the target material 200 are provided on the discharge side of the discharge electrode 21.

It is worth noting that when the target material 200 is a metal material, when the target material 200 is directly provided on the discharge electrode 21, the target material 200 is electrically connected to the discharge electrode 21 and excited. The sputtering process cannot proceed because the target material 200 is not the sputtered target material 200 but is directly discharged. On the other hand, since the metal type or conductive type target material 200 is separated from the discharge electrode 21 due to the installation of the dielectric layer 22, the target material 200 is located close to the discharge electrode 21 but is not directly connected to the electrode. Since the discharge electrode 21 is not electrically conductive, the discharge electrode 21 can exhibit a better discharge effect.

The dielectric layer 22 is used to prevent conduction current from being formed between the plasma and the discharge electrode 21, and generates a self-bias voltage on the surface of the target material 200 for efficient sputtering. Realize. In consideration of pressure resistance, heat resistance, heat transfer, and capacitive coupling efficiency, the material of the dielectric layer 22 is one selected from aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, boron nitride, quartz, mica, and polytetrafluoroethylene. It may be. Preferably, the thickness of the dielectric layer 22 is between 0.2 and 2 mm. When the target material 200 is a conductive material, the dielectric layer 22 is essential; when the target material 200 is an insulating material, it can itself serve as the dielectric layer 22; The dielectric layer 22 may be unnecessary.

The target material 200 is replaceably attached to the dielectric layer 22, that is, depending on the requirements of the coating type, different types of target material 200 can be replaced.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the discharge electrode 21 is a planar electrode, that is, the discharge electrode 21 has a planar structure, or the discharge area of the discharge electrode 21 is in a planar position. Furthermore, during operation, the discharge electrode 21 forms a discharge region that covers the target material 200 below.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the dielectric layer 22 is stacked on the discharge electrode 21, that is, the dielectric layer 22 is also a flat plate type material.

The target material 200 is laminated on the dielectric layer 22, and the target material 200 is a flat plate type material. That is, the discharge electrode 21, the dielectric layer 22, and the target material 200 are sequentially stacked.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the discharge electrode 21, the dielectric layer 22, and the target material 200 are stacked and fixed by a fixing element, and examples of the fixing method of the fixing element include sandwich fixing and extrusion fixing. However, it is not limited to these.

The discharge coil assembly 30 may be provided in a region near the electrode assembly 20, and the discharge region of the electrode assembly 20 and the discharge region of the discharge coil assembly 30 may be mutually reinforced by the neighboring position. Preferably, in one embodiment of the present invention, the discharge coil assembly 30 is provided below the electrode assembly 20, and in such a form, the discharge area of the discharge coil and the discharge area of the electrode assembly 20 are arranged in the order There are many overlapping regions in direction, which is advantageous for reinforcing the excitation effect on the target material 200. In another embodiment of the present invention, the discharge coil assembly 30 may be provided around the electrode assembly 20 so as to be offset from each other or to surround the electrode assembly 20 below. 2A and 2B are schematic diagrams of the relative positions of different embodiments of the electrode assembly 20 and the discharge coil assembly 30 of the sputtering coating apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the invention.

During coating, the substrate 100 is placed below or near the discharge coil assembly 30. Further, the base body 100 is provided in a discharge region where the electrode assembly 20 and the discharge coil assembly 30 cooperate, or the base body 100 is provided in a discharge region of the electrode assembly 20 and the discharge coil assembly 30. are provided in an overlapping region with discharge regions, so that the radio frequency discharge action of the electrode assembly 20 and the discharge action of the discharge coil assembly 30 can act cooperatively on the target material 200; The atoms of the target material 200 can be excited efficiently and a high-density plasma can be quickly formed, that is, a film layer can be quickly formed on the surface of the base 100.

The discharge coil assembly 30 includes a coil 31 and a spacing sleeve 32, and the coil 31 is spirally wound around the spacing sleeve 32. Preferably, the spacing sleeve 32 is an insulating material, for example constructed of a ceramic material. The separation sleeve 32 restricts and separates the inner and outer spaces of the separation sleeve 32. The discharge coil assembly 30 is installed substantially perpendicularly below the discharge electrode 21 . In other words, the center axis of the coil 31 is perpendicular to the electrode assembly 20.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the spacing sleeve 32 has a first opening 3201, a second opening 3202, and a spacing space 3203, and the first opening 3201 and the second opening 3202 are opposite to each other. The separated space 3203 communicates with the outside through the first opening 3201 and the second opening 3202, respectively. The first opening 3201 and the electrode assembly 20 face each other, that is, the discharge area of the electrode assembly 20 is directed into the space 3203 . In other words, the spacing sleeve 32 isolates and constrains the discharge region of the electrode assembly 20 within the spacing space 3203.

The spacing sleeve 32 provides a wrapping position for the coil 31 and restrains the discharge area. Further, within the space 3203, the discharge area of the electrode assembly 20 and the discharge area of the coil 31 overlap. In other words, during operation, both the discharge action of the electrode assembly 20 and the discharge action of the coil 31 occur within the space 3203.

The base body 100 is directed towards the second aperture 3202 or the base body 100 is provided near the second aperture 3202 . Further, the base body 100 is provided at a position below and near the second opening 3202.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the spacing sleeve 32 has a linearly extending cylindrical shape, and the positions of the electrode assembly 20, the target material 200, the spacing sleeve 32, and the coil 31 are arranged along the direction of gravity. installed vertically or along the vertical direction. The sputtering deposition area is located in the vicinity of the electrode and the discharge coil, for example above, below, vertically, diagonally above or diagonally below.

In other embodiments of the present invention, the electrode assembly 20, the discharge coil assembly 30, and the base 100 may be installed at different positions.

2A and 2B are schematic diagrams of the relative positions of the discharge coil assembly 30 and the target material 200 in different embodiments of the sputter coating apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the invention. In one embodiment, referring to FIG. 1, the base body 100 is provided below the discharge coil, or the base body 100 is provided below the second opening 3202. Referring to FIG. 2A, at least two of the discharge coil assemblies 30 are provided below the electrode assembly 20 in staggered positions, such as in circumferential positions or in a symmetrical distribution. Referring to FIG. 2B, at least two of the discharge coil assemblies 30 are provided below the electrode assembly 20. In another embodiment, referring to FIG. 3A, the base body 100 is provided at a lower position on the side of the discharge coil assembly 30. Referring to FIG. 3B, the plurality of base bodies 100 surround the discharge coil assembly 30 below.

It is worth noting that FIGS. 1, 2A-2B, and 3A-3B illustrate the relative positions of different embodiments of a discharge assembly, a discharge coil assembly 30, and a discharge coil assembly 30 and a target material 200, respectively; In other embodiments of the invention, the positional relationship among the discharge electrode 21, coil 31, and target material 200 may be a combination of the above-mentioned arrangements or another arrangement, which is the basic aspect of the invention. Without departing from the principle of interaction, the invention is not limited in this respect.

In one embodiment of the invention, the discharge electrode 21 and the coil 31 are connected to a water cooling device to avoid overheating of the discharge electrode 21 and the coil 31. A shield layer is provided around the coil 31 to prevent discharge from the coil 31 to the outside.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the overall assembly method of the sputtering coating apparatus 1 is as follows:
The radio frequency power source 40 is installed outside the reaction cavity 10 , and the discharge electrode 21 , the dielectric layer 22 , the target material 200 , the coil 31 and the separation sleeve 32 are all connected to the reaction cavity 10 . Can be installed internally. The dielectric layer 22 and the target material 200 are sequentially attached below the discharge electrode 21 . The spacing sleeve 32 is attached below the target material 200, and the coil 31 is wound around the spacing sleeve 32. One end of the electrode and the coil 31 are commonly connected to an output end of the radio frequency power source 40 outside the reaction cavity 10. The other ends of the reaction cavity 10 and the coil 31 are commonly connected to a ground end of the radio frequency power source 40 . The base body 100 is provided below the coil 31, is placed facing the target material 200 at a certain distance from the target material 200, and collects atoms of the sputtered target material 200. It is deposited on the surface of the substrate 100 to form a film.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the coating operation process of the sputtering coating apparatus 1 is as follows:
During sputter coating, the reaction cavity 10 is evacuated and filled with an inert gas and a reactant gas, and the radio frequency power supply 40 is activated, while the radio frequency current in the coil 31 flows inside the standoff sleeve 32. A high-density plasma is generated by an induced discharge in a space close to the target material 200 at , while a radio frequency voltage at the electrode acts in conjunction with a plasma in the space near the target material 200 to A self-bias voltage is generated on the surface of the target material 200 to accelerate the impact of plasma ions on the target material 200, sputtering the atoms of the target material 200 to the outside, and sputtering the sputtered target material 200. atoms are deposited on the surface of the substrate 100 located below to form a film.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a sputter coating apparatus 1 according to a second embodiment of the invention.

In this embodiment of the invention, the electrode assembly 20 of the sputtering coating apparatus 1 has an inner space 201, and the discharge coil assembly 30 is provided in the inner space 201. In other words, the electrode assembly 20 surrounds the exterior of the coil 31 assembly.

The electrode assembly 20 includes a discharge electrode 21 and a dielectric layer 22 provided on the discharge electrode 21. The target material 200 is suitable for being connected to the dielectric layer 22. That is, the dielectric layer 22 is provided between the discharge electrode 21 and the target material 200, or the dielectric layer 22 separates the discharge electrode 21 and the target material 200 from each other. Further, the dielectric layer 22 and the target material 200 are provided on the discharge side of the discharge electrode 21.

Further, the coil 31 is located inside the discharge electrode 21, the target material 200 is located outside the discharge electrode 21, and the base body 100 is suitable for being provided in an external space of the target material 200. There is.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the coil 31 is a solenoid coil, and for example, the coil 31 as a whole may be provided substantially parallel to the discharge electrode 21, but is not limited thereto. The coil 31 and the discharge electrode 21 are both arranged along the vertical direction, that is, along the direction of gravity. In another embodiment of the invention, the coil 31 is a solenoid coil, and the coil 31 is disposed generally perpendicularly to the discharge electrode 21, for example, the discharge electrode 21 is arranged along the gravitational direction or the vertical direction. The coil 31 is arranged along the horizontal direction, or the discharge electrode 21 is arranged along the horizontal direction, and the coil 31 is arranged along the gravity direction or the vertical direction.

The discharge electrode 21 includes a plate unit, and the plurality of plate units are formed so as to surround the inner space 201 so as to be spaced apart from each other. In one embodiment of the present invention, a gap is provided between two adjacent electrode plate units, and the gap separates the two electrode plate units so that the coil 31 is connected to the discharge electrode 21 by a vortex. Avoid inducing current. In one embodiment of the invention, the gap is filled with an insulating material to avoid the coil 31 inducing eddy currents in the discharge electrode 21. The two adjacent plate units are electrically connected by conductive wires.

Further, the dielectric layer 22 surrounds the discharge electrode 21 . Accordingly, the dielectric layer 22 forms a continuous annular structure and is laminated outside the discharge electrode 21 .

In one embodiment, the target material 200 is arranged in a continuous ring, ie, the shape of the target material 200 substantially matches the shape of the dielectric layer 22. In another embodiment, the target material 200 is disposed to match the shape of the electrode plate unit, for example, is elongated, and is disposed outside the dielectric layer 22 at intervals.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the discharge electrode 21, the dielectric layer 22 and the target material 200 are sequentially joined together from the inside to the outside, and the coil 31 is inserted into the inner space 201 of the electrode assembly 20. The coil 31 is installed coaxially with the discharge electrode 21 . The inner space 201 located inside the dielectric layer 22 is separated from the reaction chamber 101 of the reaction cavity 10 .

In one embodiment of the present invention, the sputtering coating apparatus 1 includes a set of sealing caps 23, each of which is provided at both ends of the electrode assembly 20 in a sealed manner, and preferably: Both ends of the dielectric layer 22 are protruded from the discharge electrode 21 , and a pair of sealing caps 23 are connected to both ends of the dielectric layer 22 .

It is noteworthy that the inner space 201 of the discharge electrode 21 is sealed and isolated from the reaction chamber 101, so that the inner space 201 of the discharge electrode 21 is sealed and isolated from the reaction chamber 101, so that the inner space 201 of the discharge electrode 21 is sealed and isolated from the reaction chamber 101. can be filled with heat dissipating material or heat dissipating liquid. During the coating operation, the inner space of the dielectric layer 22 is separated from the reaction chamber 101, and there is no need to evacuate the inner space 201, thereby avoiding discharge inside the coil 31. A cooling air flow is passed through the internal space of the body layer 22 to cool the discharge electrode 21 and the coil 31 therein to avoid overheating.

When the target material 200 is a conductive material, the discharge electrode 21 is composed of a plurality of separated electrode units, and the gap extending in the axial direction is provided between two adjacent electrode units. When the target material 200 is an insulating material, the discharge electrode 21 may have a cylindrical shape surrounded by the plate-shaped electrode unit.

The base body 100 is provided outside the target material 200, that is, the base body 100 can be provided around the entire circumference of the cylindrical electrode assembly, that is, forming a coating space with a large volume. , facilitating coating of large quantities or large areas.

In one embodiment of the present invention, referring to FIG. 5, the sputtering coating apparatus 1 includes a multilayer stand 50 surrounding the exterior of the electrode assembly 20. As shown in FIG. A plurality of the base bodies 100 can be placed on the multilayer stand 50. That is, coating can be performed at different heights in the surrounding space outside the electrode assembly 20.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the overall assembly method of the sputtering coating apparatus 1 is as follows:
The radio frequency power source 40 is installed outside the reaction cavity 10 , and the discharge electrode 21 , the dielectric layer 22 , the target material 200 , the coil 31 and the separation sleeve 32 are all connected to the reaction cavity 10 . Can be installed internally. The electrode unit in the form of a plurality of columnar panels is surrounded in a cylindrical shape, an axial gap is left between each columnar panel or an insulating material is filled, and each columnar panel is connected with a conductive wire. The dielectric layer 22 is a perfect cylinder. When the target material 200 is a conductive material, it is surrounded by a plurality of pillar panels in a cylindrical shape, and an axial gap is left between each pillar panel, and when the target material 200 is an insulating material, It may be cylindrically surrounded by a plurality of column panels, or it may be a complete cylinder.

The discharge electrode 21, the dielectric layer 22, and the target material 200 are sequentially set from the inside to the outside. The coil 31 is installed inside the discharge electrode 21 and is coaxial with the discharge electrode 21, and the inner space of the dielectric layer 22 is separated from the reaction chamber 101 and is not evacuated. One end of the discharge electrode 21 and the coil 31 are commonly connected to the output end of the radio frequency power source 40 outside the reaction cavity 10, and the other end of the reaction cavity 10 and the coil 31 are connected to the output end of the radio frequency power source 40 outside the reaction cavity 10. are commonly connected to the ground terminal of the The base body 100 is provided outside the target material 200, is placed facing the target material 200 at a certain distance from the target material 200, and directs atoms of the sputtered target material 200 to the base body. 100 to form a film.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the coating operation process of the sputtering coating apparatus 1 is as follows:
During sputter coating, the reaction cavity 10 is evacuated and filled with inert gas and reaction gas, and the radio frequency power supply 40 is activated, while the radio frequency current in the coil 31 is applied to the outside of the target material 200. A high-density plasma is generated by an induced discharge, and on the other hand, the radio frequency voltage at the discharge electrode 21 acts in conjunction with the plasma in the space near the target material 200, creating a self-bias on the surface of the target material 200. A voltage is generated to accelerate the impact of plasma ions on the target material 200 to sputter the atoms of the target material 200 to the outside, and the sputtered atoms of the target material 200 are transferred to the base 100. to form a film.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a sputtering coating apparatus 1 according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the difference from the first embodiment is that the sputtering coating apparatus 1 includes two sets of electrode assemblies 20 and discharge coil assemblies 30, each of which works together, and the whole increase the coating area.

Further, the two sets of electrode assemblies 20 and discharge coil assemblies 30 are provided in parallel. That is, one ends of the two sets of electrode assemblies 20 are commonly connected to the output ends of the radio frequency power source 40, and one ends of the two sets of discharge coil assemblies 30 are respectively connected to the output ends of the radio frequency power source 40. , the reaction cavity 10 is connected to the ground end of the radio frequency power source 40, and the other ends of the two sets of discharge coil assemblies 30 are connected to the ground end of the radio frequency power source 40.

Furthermore, the two target materials 200 of the two sets of electrode assemblies 20 are placed in the same plane and close together, and the two coils 31 of the two discharge coil assemblies 30 are oriented in opposite directions to reduce series inductance. wrapped around.

In this embodiment of the present invention, two sets of the electrode assemblies 20 and discharge coils in parallel are described as an example, and in other embodiments of the present invention, more sets of the electrode assemblies 20 and discharge coils are further arranged. It can also be included, in a similar manner extended horizontally and with two mutually close said coils 31 wound in opposite directions.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a sputtering coating apparatus 1 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

This embodiment of the present invention differs from the first embodiment described above in that the dielectric layer 22 is not provided below the discharge electrode 21. That is, the target material 200 is provided directly below the discharge electrode 21. This embodiment is suitable for insulating material coatings.

The second embodiment described above can also be modified in a similar way, in which the dielectric layer 22 is dispensed with and used for an insulating material coating.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a sputtering coating apparatus 1 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment of the invention, the discharge coil assembly 30 includes a coil 31, and the coil 31 is a planar solenoid coil. The planar solenoid coil is directly installed on one side of the discharge electrode 21. Furthermore, the coil 31 is separably fixed to the non-discharge side of the discharge electrode 21, in other words, the target material 200 and the coil 31 are located on both sides of the discharge electrode 21, respectively.

Furthermore, the discharge electrode 21 includes a plate unit, and the plurality of plate units are spaced apart from each other. In one embodiment of the present invention, a gap is provided between two adjacent electrode plate units, and the gap separates the two electrode plate units so that the coil 31 is connected to the discharge electrode 21 by a vortex. Avoid inducing current. In one embodiment of the invention, the gap is filled with an insulating material to avoid the coil 31 inducing eddy currents in the discharge electrode 21. The two adjacent plate units are electrically connected by conductive wires.

It is worth noting that in this embodiment of the invention, the discharge electrode 21, the assembly 20 and the coil 31 are integrally installed to form one whole movable assembly, with different parts as a whole. It facilitates installation into the working position and avoids providing additional installation conditions to said coil 31.

The electrode assembly 20 and the coil 31 of the discharge coil assembly 30 cooperate with each other to form a sputtering coating assembly. The sputtering coating assembly is provided in the reaction chamber 101, and the sputtering coating assembly is suitable for being connected to the radio frequency power source 40 to perform sputtering coating on the surface of the substrate.

Overall, it can be seen from the above examples that the technical solution of the present invention has many advantages over the sputtering coating method of the prior art, namely:
From the working principle, there is no need to create a magnetic field to increase the plasma density, avoiding electron cyclotrons due to the presence of a magnetic field.

Through the cooperation of the discharge coil and the electrodes, high-density plasma is formed in the space near the target material to quickly form a film layer.

A membrane layer of insulating or non-insulating material can be formed, which means there are fewer restrictions on the type of membrane layer material;
Since it operates without a magnetic field, spatial inhomogeneities caused by magnetically confined plasmas are avoided and the formed film layer is more uniform.

Since the electrode, the target material, and the discharge coil cover each other in a large area, the etching of the target material is uniform, and the utilization rate of the target material is high.

The dielectric layer separates the electrode and target material, allowing different types of target materials to be deposited efficiently on the surface of the substrate without affecting the deposition efficiency due to the electrical performance of the target material. .

The spacing sleeve confines the coil discharge area, and furthermore, the electrode discharge area and the discharge area of the discharge coil are coupled in the forward direction and then directly deposited on the surface of the substrate.

In one embodiment, the sputtering deposition region is located below the electrode and discharge coil and coats in a planar gravity direction.

In one embodiment, the deposition region is located in a parallel region of the electrode and coil, facilitating multilayer or batch coating around the target material.

In one embodiment, multiple sputter deposition regions are formed in parallel to facilitate large area or batch sputter deposit coatings.

It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the foregoing description and drawings are intended to be illustrative only and not limiting. The objectives of the invention have been fully and effectively achieved. Although the functions and construction principles of the present invention have been illustrated and explained by way of examples, the embodiments of the present invention are capable of various modifications or amendments without departing from the principles described above.

Claims (28)

A sputtering coating device for forming a film layer on the surface of a substrate by a sputtering coating method by impacting a target material,
a reaction cavity having a reaction chamber;
an electrode assembly;
a discharge coil assembly;
The electrode assembly and the discharge coil assembly are provided in the reaction chamber, and during sputter coating, the substrate is accommodated in the reaction chamber, the target material is provided in the electrode assembly, and the electrode assembly and the discharge coil assembly are disposed in the reaction chamber. is electrically connected to a radio frequency power supply, and the radio frequency power supply provides operating radio frequency current to the electrode assembly and the discharge coil assembly to deposit on the surface of the substrate to form a film layer. A sputtering coating device characterized by: The electrode assembly includes a discharge electrode and a dielectric layer stacked on a discharge side of the discharge electrode, and the target material is stacked on the dielectric layer. sputtering coating equipment. The sputtering coating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrode assembly includes a discharge electrode, and the target material is provided directly on the discharge side of the discharge electrode. The sputtering coating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the discharge coil assembly is located below the electrode assembly, and the base body is suitable to be provided below the discharge coil assembly. The sputtering coating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the discharge coil assembly includes a coil and a spacing sleeve, and the coil is wound around the spacing sleeve. The separation sleeve has a first opening, a second opening, and a separation space, the separation space communicates with the outside through the first opening and the second opening, and the separation sleeve has a first opening, a second opening, and a separation space, and the separation space communicates with the outside through the first opening and the second opening. 6. The sputter coating apparatus of claim 5, wherein the second opening is directed toward the target material and the second opening is directed toward the substrate. One end of the electrode assembly and the discharge coil assembly are commonly connected to an output end of the radio frequency power source, and the other ends of the reaction cavity and the discharge coil assembly are commonly connected to a ground end of the radio frequency power source. The sputtering coating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The sputtering coating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a central axis of the discharge coil assembly is perpendicular to the electrode assembly. The sputtering coating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the discharge electrode assembly, the discharge coil assembly, and the base are arranged in a vertical direction. Sputtering according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the discharge coil assembly includes a coil, the coil is a planar solenoid coil, and the coil is provided on one side of the electrode assembly. Coating equipment. The sputtering coating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electrode assembly has an inner space, and the discharge coil assembly is installed in the inner space. The sputtering coating apparatus of claim 11, wherein the electrode assembly includes a discharge electrode and a dielectric layer surrounding the discharge electrode, and the target material is provided outside the dielectric layer. The sputtering coating apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the electrode assembly includes a discharge electrode, and the target material is provided directly on the discharge side of the discharge electrode. The sputtering coating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the discharge coil assembly is installed coaxially with the electrode assembly. The discharge electrode includes a plurality of electrode units, the inner space is formed by arranging the plurality of electrode units in a ring shape, and a gap is provided between two adjacent electrode units. The sputtering coating apparatus according to any one of claims 12 to 13, characterized in that: The sputter coating apparatus according to claim 15, wherein an insulating material is filled in the gap. The sputtering coating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the dielectric layer has a continuous cylindrical structure. Sputtering coating equipment for forming a film layer on the surface of a substrate by a sputtering coating method by impacting a target material,
a reaction cavity having a reaction chamber;
an electrode assembly;
a discharge coil assembly;
including a radio frequency power source;
The electrode assembly and the discharge coil assembly are disposed in the reaction chamber of the reaction cavity, the target material is disposed in the electrode assembly, and during sputter coating, the substrate is housed in the reaction chamber and the electrode assembly and the discharge coil assembly are disposed in the reaction chamber. A discharge coil assembly is electrically connected to the radio frequency power supply, and the radio frequency power supply provides an operating radio frequency current to the electrode assembly and the discharge coil assembly, thereby depositing on the surface of the substrate. Sputtering coating equipment that is characterized by forming a film layer. 19. The electrode assembly includes a discharge electrode and a dielectric layer stacked on a discharge side of the discharge electrode, and the target material is stacked on the dielectric layer. sputtering coating equipment. The sputtering coating equipment according to claim 18, wherein the electrode assembly includes a discharge electrode, and the target material is provided directly on the discharge side of the discharge electrode. The sputtering coating equipment according to any one of claims 18 to 20, wherein the discharge coil assembly includes a coil and a spacing sleeve, and the coil is wound around the spacing sleeve. Sputtering according to any one of claims 18 to 20, characterized in that the discharge coil assembly includes a coil, the coil is a planar solenoid coil, and the coil is provided on one side of the electrode assembly. Coating equipment. The sputtering coating equipment of claim 18, wherein the electrode assembly has an inner space, and the discharge coil assembly is installed in the inner space. The sputtering coating equipment of claim 23, wherein the electrode assembly includes a discharge electrode and a dielectric layer surrounding the discharge electrode, and the target material is provided outside the dielectric layer. A sputter coating discharge assembly mounted within a reaction cavity and suitable for sputter coating a substrate in said reaction cavity, comprising:
an electrode assembly;
including a coil;
During sputter coating, a target material is provided on the electrode assembly, the coil is provided on the target material, the electrode assembly and the coil are electrically connected to a radio frequency power source, and the radio frequency power source connects the electrode assembly. and providing the coil with an energizing radio frequency current to deposit and form a film layer on the surface of the substrate. 26. The electrode assembly includes a discharge electrode and a dielectric layer stacked on a discharge side of the discharge electrode, and the target material is stacked on the dielectric layer. Sputter coating discharge assembly. The sputter coating discharge assembly of claim 25, wherein the electrode assembly includes a discharge electrode, and the target material is provided directly on the discharge side of the discharge electrode. The sputtering coating discharge assembly according to any one of claims 26 to 27, wherein the coil is a planar solenoid coil, and the coil is provided on one side of the discharge electrode.

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