JP4230564B2 - Sputtering equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a sputtering apparatus for forming a thin film of a target material on a substrate in a vacuum vessel.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a sputtering apparatus, a target and a substrate are arranged to face each other, and a gas for generating plasma is introduced therebetween. Plasma is generated by applying a high frequency or direct current voltage to the cathode portion where the target is disposed, and ions accelerated by the electric field are collided with the target, and the material is ejected from the target and deposited on the substrate.
[0003]
FIG. 4 shows an outline of this type of conventional sputtering apparatus. In FIG. 4, 1 is a vacuum vessel, 2 is a cathode part, and the power supply 3 is connected. Reference numeral 4 denotes a target, which is a vapor deposition substance, disposed on the cathode portion 2, 5 is a substrate disposed opposite to the target 4, 6 is a gas introduction portion, 7 is an exhaust port, and a pressure regulating valve 8 is disposed. ing. 9 is a vacuum pressure sensor.
[0004]
In such an apparatus, a plasma generating gas such as argon gas is introduced into the vacuum vessel 1 from the gas introduction unit 6, and on the other hand, a predetermined sputtering pressure is obtained from the exhaust port 7 through the pressure regulating valve 8 by a vacuum pump. Exhaust so that. The vacuum pressure is monitored by a vacuum pressure sensor 9. In this state, when a direct current or a high frequency voltage is applied to the cathode unit 2 from the power source 3, plasma is generated between the substrate 5 and the target 4, and argon ions in the plasma are accelerated by the electric field and collide with the target 4. The target material is struck and jumps into the vacuum. This substance adheres to the substrate 5 and forms a thin film.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above-described conventional sputtering apparatus, the pressure regulating valve 8 obtains feedback information from the vacuum pressure sensor 9 and adjusts the opening of the exhaust port 7 in order to set the sputtering pressure in the vacuum vessel 1 to a predetermined pressure. Therefore, there is a certain time, and there is a limit to the realization of high-speed film formation.
[0006]
In view of the above-described conventional problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a sputtering apparatus capable of realizing a sputtering pressure for film formation in a short time.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a sputtering apparatus of the present invention has a sputtering target disposed in a cathode part in a vacuum vessel, a substrate is disposed so as to face the target, and the target is parallel to the surface of the target. In the sputtering apparatus provided with a gas introduction part in the vacuum vessel between the substrate and the substrate, the gas introduction part has a structure extending in the direction of gravity, and a dust box is installed so as to face the gas introduction part And a shielding plate having an aperture ratio on a surface of the dust box that is perpendicular to the surface facing the gas introduction portion , and the shielding plate is installed at a vacuum exhaust port of the vacuum vessel. Is.
[0008]
This ensures that it is possible to achieve in a short time sputtering pressure for forming a film, also Ru can prevent damage to the vacuum pump to prevent the dust from flowing from the vacuum exhaust port.
[0010]
Furthermore, since the shielding plate can be exchanged and can be exchanged immediately even if clogging occurs, the aperture ratio for realizing a predetermined sputtering pressure can be maintained.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0012]
(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 shows a sputtering apparatus in a reference example of Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and the same reference numerals are given to the same parts as in the conventional example. That is, 1 is a vacuum vessel, 2 is a cathode part, and a power source 3 is connected thereto. Reference numeral 4 denotes a target which is a vapor deposition substance disposed on the cathode portion 2, 5 denotes a substrate disposed opposite to the target 4, 6 denotes a gas introduction portion, and 7 denotes a diagonal of the gas introduction portion 6 in the vacuum vessel 1. This is the exhaust port at the position.
[0013]
The target 4 is attached to the cathode portion 2 via the water cooling plate 12 by the target presser 11 and is cooled by the cooling water 13. The vacuum vessel 1 is grounded and insulated from the cathode portion 2 by an insulating material 14. Reference numeral 15 is an earth shield, and 16 is a magnet.
[0014]
Reference numeral 17 denotes a shielding plate made of, for example, a mesh or the like that is provided at the exhaust port 7 in the vacuum vessel 1 and has an aperture ratio that realizes a predetermined sputtering pressure.
[0015]
Next, the operation in this reference example will be described. First, after evacuating the inside of the vacuum vessel 1 to a predetermined degree of vacuum, a plasma generating gas such as argon gas is introduced into the vacuum vessel 1 from the gas introduction unit 6, while a vacuum is supplied from the exhaust port 7 through the shielding plate 17. Exhaust with a pump. Here, an arbitrary sputtering pressure can be realized by the relationship between the flow rate of the introduced gas and the opening ratio of the shielding plate 17.
[0016]
In this state, when a direct current or a high frequency voltage is applied to the cathode unit 2 from the power source 3, plasma is generated between the substrate 5 and the target 4, and argon ions in the plasma are accelerated by the electric field and collide with the target 4. The target material is struck and jumps into the vacuum. This substance adheres to the substrate 5 and forms a thin film.
[0017]
According to the present reference example configured as described above, the sputtering pressure for film formation can be realized in a short time, high-speed tact film formation is possible, and productivity can be improved.
[0018]
FIG. 2 shows the sputtering apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Here, a box-type dust box 18, which is partly constituted by a shielding plate 17 provided at the exhaust port 7, is installed. With such a configuration, the target material dust 19 generated during film formation is captured by the shielding plate 17 and is prevented from flowing into the vacuum pump through the exhaust port 7. The dust 19 collects in the dust box 18. Therefore, damage to the vacuum pump can be prevented.
[0019]
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, if the shielding plate 17 can be exchanged, it can be easily replaced when the shielding plate 17 is clogged or the aperture ratio is changed. .
[0020]
In the above-described embodiment, the sputtering apparatus has been described. However, the present invention can be effectively applied to all apparatuses that cause a chemical phenomenon or a physical phenomenon at a certain degree of vacuum.
[0021]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, by installing a shielding plate having an aperture ratio that realizes a predetermined sputtering pressure at the exhaust port of the vacuum vessel, the sputtering pressure for film formation can be realized in a short time, productivity can be greatly improved, also because the traps dust in the exhaust port of the vacuum vessel, eliminating the influence of the vacuum pump, Ru can extend the life of the pump.
[0024]
Furthermore, by making it possible to easily replace the shielding plate, it can be replaced immediately even if clogging occurs, and a constant degree of vacuum can always be maintained.
[Brief description of the drawings]
[1] essential in the first embodiment of the present configuration diagram of a sputtering apparatus in reference example of the first embodiment of the invention defined in the appended diagram of a sputtering apparatus according to the first embodiment of the invention the present invention; FIG Fig. 4 is a diagram showing another configuration of the unit [Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a configuration diagram of a conventional sputtering apparatus [Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vacuum container 2 Cathode part 3 Power supply 4 Target 5 Substrate 6 Gas introduction part 7 Exhaust port 17 Shielding plate 18 Dust box

Claims (2)

A sputtering target is disposed in a cathode portion in a vacuum vessel, a substrate is disposed so as to face the sputtering target, and a gas introduction portion is provided in the vacuum vessel in parallel with the surface of the target and between the target and the substrate. In the sputtering apparatus provided,
The gas introduction part has a structure extending in the direction of gravity, and a dust box is installed so as to face the gas introduction part, and the dust box has an opening in a surface perpendicular to the face facing the gas introduction part. A sputtering apparatus comprising: a shielding plate having a rate; and the shielding plate is provided at a vacuum exhaust port of the vacuum vessel.   The sputtering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shielding plate is replaceable.

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