JP4465004B2 - Sputtering equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a sputtering apparatus, and more particularly to a sputtering apparatus that achieves space saving and high throughput by adopting a structure capable of forming a film on a single substrate by simultaneous sputtering of a plurality of targets.

  Conventionally, in a general sputtering apparatus, film formation on a substrate is performed by sputtering with respect to one target having a size that can be formed on a film formation surface of the substrate.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic view for explaining a main part in a sputtering process chamber (also referred to as a sputtering chamber) of a conventional sputtering apparatus, and is a plan view seen from above parallel to the substrate surface. The conventional example shown in FIG. 1 is an example of double-sided film formation. 100 is a tray, 102 is a gate valve, and 104 is a substrate mounted on the tray. As is well known, these substrates 104 are carried into and out of the sputtering chamber from the direction of arrow a through the gate valve 102.

  110 is a cathode having a cathode mounting surface parallel to the substrate surface, and 112 is a target mounted on the cathode mounting surface.

  Usually, the target 112 is larger than the size of the substrate. In a conventional sputtering chamber, film formation is performed by placing a target so as to be opposed to a position suitable for film formation, with one target per substrate. Therefore, in the case of sequentially laminating films on a single substrate using different types of targets, usually, the same number of dedicated sputtering chambers as the types of targets are prepared, A film was formed.

  For this reason, the conventional sputtering apparatus requires a dedicated sputtering chamber for each different type of target, so the size of the apparatus is unavoidable, and the substrate loading / unloading operation and other incidental operations to each sputtering chamber are performed. Since it is necessary, throughput has been reduced.

  Furthermore, in the conventional apparatus, the target is also enlarged with the increase in the substrate size, and therefore, it is difficult to form a film with a uniform thickness on the deposition surface having a large area. Therefore, it is not easy for the conventional sputtering apparatus to achieve the film thickness distribution standard required by the film forming apparatus.

Patent Document 1 discloses a sputtering apparatus in which a plurality of targets are provided to form an alloy thin film. According to this sputtering apparatus, three cathodes are provided in one sputtering chamber, one kind of target is attached to the center cathode, and the cathodes on both sides are of different types from the center. It consists of a single target of the same type. According to this conventional example, the center target is arranged in parallel to the film formation surface of the substrate, the targets on both sides are arranged inclined, and the target formation surface of each target is It is disclosed that the distance and the tilt angles of the targets on both sides can be adjusted.

Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a sputtering apparatus that provides a plurality of targets to form a film composed of a plurality of components. According to this sputtering apparatus, a plurality of targets are sequentially passed through the sputtering position, and at the time of film formation for each film component, one target is formed so as to face the substrate.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 8-26453 JP-A-6-122971

However, since the apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 is an apparatus for forming one alloy film having a composition composed of each target component, that is, an alloy component, another type of film is further continuously formed on the alloy film. In order to form a film, it is necessary to carry the substrate into and out of another sputtering chamber. Therefore, even with this apparatus, the above-described problems of space saving and high throughput of the present application have not been solved.

Also, in the case of the apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 2 , since the substrate and the target are arranged to face each other in a one-to-one relationship at the time of film formation, the above-described problem of the present application has not been solved.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a sputtering apparatus that achieves space saving and high throughput by adopting a structure capable of forming a film on a single substrate by simultaneous sputtering of a plurality of targets.

  In order to achieve this object, the sputtering apparatus of the present invention has the following structural features.

That is, this sputtering apparatus includes a support, a shield, and a shield driving mechanism, and the support has a plurality of cathodes to which power is independently supplied, and is positioned at a position facing the film formation surface of the substrate. It is provided so as to be rotatable around a central axis, and by rotating around the central axis by a rotation mechanism , it is possible to select a target to be opposed to the deposition surface of the substrate from a target attached to each cathode. The shield surrounds the periphery of the support, leaving an opening provided in a direction facing the film-forming surface of the substrate, and is supported rotatably around the support. The shield drive mechanism is configured to rotate the shield synchronously in the same direction in conjunction with the rotation of the support by switching the power transmission unit of the rotation mechanism, Performing a release of rotation of the shield in conjunction with the rotation of the support.

The sputtering apparatus of the present invention preferably includes a plurality of combinations of the support and the shield.

  The plurality of supports are provided apart from each other in the sputtering chamber. These supports are provided so that each target mounting surface is disposed so as to face the film formation surface of the substrate mounted on the substrate holder or tray. Further, each of these supports is configured to be rotatable (also referred to as rotation) around its central axis.

  Each support includes a cathode. The plurality of cathodes provided on one support are provided separately from each other, and each cathode has a plurality of target mounting surfaces.

  The target positioning mechanism rotates each support on which the target is mounted on the target mounting surface, respectively, and forms a film in which one target is opposed to the film formation surface among a plurality of targets of one support. The position can be determined for each support.

  Thus, according to the configuration of the sputtering apparatus of the present invention, each support is provided to face the film formation surface of the substrate. These supports are provided with the same number of cathodes. Different types of targets can be mounted on the target mounting surfaces of a plurality of cathodes of one support. When a plurality of types of targets are mounted on each support, the same number of each type is mounted, preferably in the same order.

  In this way, the same type of target can be mounted on each support, so instead of using a single large size target, the same type of target is mounted in a small size divided into multiple sheets. By doing so, it is possible to form a film with a more uniform film thickness on one common substrate. In particular, when the substrate is a glass substrate, the larger the size of the glass substrate, the more uniform the film thickness is that a plurality of targets having the same area as the small size glass substrate are disposed. This is more advantageous from the viewpoint of conversion.

  Furthermore, according to the configuration of the present invention, as described above, a plurality of targets can be provided on one support, so that the types of targets provided for each support should be the same. When forming a film having a different component from the previously formed film, this target is rotated by a target positioning mechanism, and a target for forming a film having a different component is selected and positioned. I can do it. Therefore, two or more kinds of films having different components can be continuously formed on the same substrate in the same sputtering chamber. Therefore, conventionally, it has been necessary to provide a sputtering chamber for each type of target. However, in the present invention, one sputtering chamber, that is, a film forming chamber, can be used for a plurality of films using different targets.

  For this reason, since it is not necessary to carry in / out the substrate to / from different sputtering chambers or work incidental to it for each film component, it is possible to achieve further space saving and higher throughput than the conventional apparatus.

  Further, since a small target is used instead of a large target, the unit price of the target is low, and the total cost can be reduced.

  Furthermore, according to the sputtering apparatus of the present invention, the support itself is configured as a rotatable support, so that the target on the side that is not actually facing the substrate and the shadow side is appropriately Preliminary cleaning of the target surface can be performed to flatten the non-erosion region, remove splats, for example, remove a nitride film formed on the target surface in the case of a Ti target or the like.

  In practicing the present invention, preferably, the center-side target mounting surface facing the center side of the film formation surface is a surface parallel to the film formation surface. Further, preferably, the peripheral target mounting surface facing on the peripheral side of the deposition target surface is inclined with respect to the central target mounting surface so as to approach the deposition target surface as the distance from the central target mounting surface increases. Let them be arranged.

  As described above, it is possible to form a film with a more uniform film thickness by changing the inclination angle of the target surface with respect to the film formation surface between the center side target and the peripheral side target.

  Further, when positioning the peripheral target by rotating the support itself, an angle of inclination (also referred to as an inclination angle) of the target mounting surface with respect to the film formation surface and hence the target surface is selected by selecting a rotation angle. Can be adjusted. Since the film formation conditions are different between the initial stage of sputtering and the life end stage of the target, the tilt angle of the peripheral target surface can be adjusted so that appropriate film formation can be performed according to each stage. Further, if necessary, the film can be formed while rotating the support within a range of a fixed rotation angle (rotating and vibrating), and swinging the tilt angle within a fixed range.

  In addition, if the inclination angle is set in advance in the laboratory for each type of target to be used, the inclination angle of the peripheral target is set to a certain angle suitable for the predetermined condition. Adjust it. In some cases, an optimum film can be formed by adjusting these angles in the middle of the film formation.

  According to a preferred sputtering apparatus of the present invention, it is preferable that the central axis of the support is the rotation axis of the support, and each rotation axis is parallel to the film formation surface and parallel to each other. Or it is good to arrange a some support body in the carrying in / out direction of a substrate holder or a tray. In this way, the configuration of the target positioning mechanism becomes simpler.

  According to the sputtering apparatus of the present invention, the distance adjusting mechanism that adjusts the facing distance between the sputtering target surface and the film forming surface of the target mounted on the target mounting surface and / or the distance between the respective central axes of the support. Is preferably provided.

  In this way, it is possible to make the film thickness uniform according to the film forming conditions. In addition, if these distance relations are set in advance in the laboratory for each target type, each distance can be set to a certain distance suitable for the predetermined condition. In some cases, an optimum film can be formed by adjusting these distances in the middle of the film formation.

  The sputtering apparatus of the present invention is preferably provided in the sputtering chamber, surrounds the support over a part of the periphery of the support, and does not surround the target facing the substrate during film formation. It is preferable to provide a shield (also referred to as an anti-adhesion jig) for each support. In that case, it is preferable to provide a shield drive mechanism for driving the shield by selecting either interlocking or non-interlocking with respect to the support.

  By providing such a shield, the target surface to be sputtered can be reliably faced to the substrate during film formation corresponding to the target positioning, and a non-sputtered target is generated during sputtering. Protects against spattering of sputtered atoms and particles. As a result, not only can the time required for cleaning be shortened, but also the number of cleanings can be reduced.

  The sputtering apparatus of the present invention is preferably a double-sided film forming type apparatus. Further, according to the number of targets used in the same sputtering chamber and mounted on one support, the cross-sectional shape of the support is any one selected from a triangular shape, a quadrangular shape, and a polygonal shape of pentagon or more. One shape is good. In this way, different types of targets can be mounted on a single support as many as the maximum number of sides (surfaces) of the support. In the case of forming a TiN film or a TiN film by reactive sputtering, a larger number of films can be stacked.

  Further, the substrate formed by the sputtering apparatus of the present invention is preferably a glass substrate, and more preferably a glass substrate larger than a silicon wafer for semiconductors.

According to the configuration of the sputtering apparatus of this invention, the same sputtering chamber in a plurality of rotatable support, one to support the maximum, film sequentially stacked deposition surface on the same substrate The number of different targets corresponding to the number of the two is provided. The selection of the same type of target from each support is performed by rotating the support.

  Therefore, according to the sputtering apparatus of the present invention, a plurality of films can be sequentially stacked on the same substrate in the same sputtering chamber. For this reason, unlike the conventional sputtering apparatus, there is an advantage that a different sputtering chamber is not required for each film to be formed. For this reason, the occupied area of the entire apparatus can be reduced, so that space saving of the apparatus can be achieved, and furthermore, it is not necessary to carry and carry the substrate between the sputtering chambers for each film to be formed. Substrate processing time required for the process can be greatly reduced, and therefore, higher throughput than before can be achieved.

  Furthermore, according to the sputtering apparatus of the present invention, the target having the component to be deposited in one sputtering chamber is divided into a plurality of targets and arranged to face the substrate. For this reason, it is possible to use a small-sized target with a low manufacturing cost and to finely adjust the film forming conditions corresponding to the local region of the substrate surface. The film thickness can be homogenized over a wide range. Therefore, also from this point, according to the sputtering apparatus of the present invention, the throughput can be increased as compared with the conventional case.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the sputtering apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In these drawings, the shape, size, and arrangement relationship of each constituent element are schematically shown to the extent that the present invention can be understood. It is only shown. In the following, a preferred configuration example of the present invention will be described. However, the present invention is not limited to this preferred example, and many modifications and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view mainly schematically showing an arrangement relationship among a substrate, a support, and a target mounting surface (accordingly, a target), which are main constituent elements in the sputtering chamber of the sputtering apparatus according to the reference example of the present invention. is there. In FIG. 2, the illustration of the target mounted on the target mounting surface is omitted. In the reference example shown in FIG. 2, a single substrate, for example, a glass substrate 12 is mounted on the substrate holder 10a. The substrate 12 is erected in a direction orthogonal to the paper surface of the drawing and held by the substrate holder 10a. The film formation surface 12a of the substrate is usually a flat surface.

  The shape of the substrate is a rectangular parallel flat plate. The substrate holder 10a is loaded into the sputtering chamber 14 via the gate valve 16 and positioned from the direction of arrow a with the substrate 12 mounted.

A plurality of support members 20, 22, and 24, as an example, are arranged to support the target surface 12 a of the substrate. In this reference example , this support is a support having a quadrangular cross-sectional shape, for example, a rectangular body whose opposing surface is a parallel plane. Therefore, the cross section is rectangular as an example. These supports 20, 22, and 24 have the same shape and the same size, and are sequentially arranged in the loading / unloading direction of the substrate holder. These supports 20, 22, and 24 are formed so as to rotate (also referred to as rotation) with the central axis as a rotation axis, stop at an appropriate rotation position, and be positioned at the stop position. ing.

The surfaces 20a, 22a and 24a on the side of the supports 20, 22 and 24 facing the film forming surface 12a and the opposite surfaces 20b, 22b and 24b on the opposite side constitute the target mounting surface. In this case, cathodes 30a, 30b, 32a, 32b, 34a and 34b are individually provided on the surfaces of the supports 20, 22, and 24 themselves, and the outer surfaces of these cathodes are used as target mounting surfaces 20a, 22a, 24a, 20b, 22b and 24b. In this reference example , the support and the cathode are separated.

The center of the rectangular cross section of the supports 20, 22 and 24 is the central axis, that is, the rotation axes C1, C2 and C3 in this reference example . These rotation axes C1, C2, and C3 are parallel to the film formation surface, and the rotation axes are parallel to each other. The supports 20, 22 and 24 are configured to be able to rotate in both forward and reverse directions as indicated by arrows b around the rotation axes C1, C2 and C3.

  The rotation axis C2 of the center support 22 is aligned with the center of the substrate 12, and the rotation axes C1 and C3 of the supports 20 and 24 on both sides are positioned at an equal distance from the rotation axis C2. Further, the rotation axes C1 and C3 are positioned at an equal distance from the film formation surface, that is, the substrate surface 12a, and are closer to the substrate surface 12a than the rotation axis C2 on the center side. In any case, these targets are positioned so as to be in an optimal positional relationship for film formation between the film formation surface and between the targets.

  Corresponding targets are mounted on the respective target mounting surfaces. Among these targets, the targets mounted on one of the cathodes 30a, 32a, and 34a are the same type of target. The targets mounted on the other cathodes 30b, 32b, and 34b are different types from the one target and are the same type as each other.

  The center support 22 is positioned so that the target mounting surfaces 22a and 22b, that is, the sputtering target surfaces of the targets mounted on the target mounting surfaces are parallel to the film forming surface 12a. Similarly, the target mounting surfaces 20a, 20b and 24a, 24b of the peripheral side supports 20 and 24 on both sides with the center side support as the center, that is, the sputtering target surfaces mounted on these target mounting surfaces are the film formation surfaces. Positioned to face 12a.

  In this case, for example, the crossing angles of the extension lines of the target mounting surfaces 20a and 24a of the peripheral side supports 20 and 24 and the extension line of the film formation surface 12a are equal to each other α (angle) (0 ° <α <90 °). ). As described above, the peripheral target mounting surfaces 30a, 30b and 34a, 34b are inclined with respect to the central target mounting surface so as to approach the deposition target surface 12a as the distance from the central target mounting surfaces 32a, 32b increases. I'm allowed. As a result, the sputtering target surface and the film formation surface of the peripheral target are inclined (intersected) at an angle α.

  The above-described target positioning mechanism for controlling the rotation of the support and the distance adjustment mechanism for adjusting the distance from the film formation surface of the support and adjusting the distance between the supports will be described later.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining the relative positional relationship between the glass substrate 12 and the cathodes 30a, 32a, and 34a included in each of the supports 20, 22, and 24 in a reference example using three supports. It is. The cathodes 30a, 32a, and 34a have a rectangular strip shape as a whole. The substrate 12 has a long side in the transport direction (x direction) and a short side in a direction perpendicular to the substrate standing direction (vertical direction z direction). Assuming that the central axes of the cathodes are 01, O2, and 03, the cathodes are positioned so that the respective central axes are parallel to each other and parallel to the short side direction of the substrate 12. The central axis 02 of the central cathode 32a is preferably aligned with the center of the substrate 12. In the reference example shown in FIG. 3, when the substrate side is viewed in plan from the cathode side, the cathodes 30a and 34a facing the substrate peripheral side are portions on the edge side on the side away from the central cathode 32a, That is, a part of the width region in the x direction is positioned away from the substrate 12. The relative position of the cathode to the substrate is determined by the positioning of the support. These relative positions may be determined so that an appropriate film can be formed according to the type and size of the target to be mounted and any other suitable conditions. Accordingly, when the substrate side is viewed from the cathode side in a plan view, the cathode width region may be disposed within the substrate surface.

  Of course, the shape and size of these cathodes and the number of simultaneously facing the substrates can be arbitrarily set according to the design.

In the above-described reference example , while the film is formed by selecting one target attached to the support, cleaning may be performed on the remaining target that is not used and retracted. Thus, by preliminarily cleaning the target at the time of film formation, the formal cleaning work is reduced in the main film formation, so that the overall processing time can be shortened or the number of cleanings can be reduced. .

FIG. 4 is a plan view similar to FIG. 2, schematically showing a reference example in the case of a double-sided film forming apparatus. In this case, substrates such as glass substrates 12 and 12 'are mounted on both sides of the tray 10b in the sputtering chamber, and this is a reference example in which film formation is simultaneously performed on the film formation surfaces of both substrates 12 and 12'. . In this reference example , in addition to the respective supports shown in FIG. 2, in addition to these, another support is provided symmetrically with respect to the tray 10b on the opposite side of the tray 10b. These symmetrically newly provided support bodies and other necessary constituent elements are indicated by adding a symbol to the constituent elements shown in FIG. Since these additional supports and the like have the same configuration and operation (or function) as those of the support and the like described in FIG. 2, their detailed description is omitted. Also in this reference example , the supports 20, 22, 24, 20 ′, 22 ′ and 24 ′ are indicated by arrows b around the rotation axes C1, C2, C3, C′1, C′2 and C′3. As shown, it is configured to be able to rotate in both forward and reverse directions. In FIG. 4, the target is not shown.

  If comprised in this way, it will become possible to form the film | membrane of a some component sequentially in succession with respect to two board | substrates, respectively in the same sputtering chamber. In that case, at the time of simultaneous film formation on one substrate 12 and the other substrate 12 ', a target suitable for each film formation is selected and positioned by rotation of the support. By doing so, it is possible to form films of different components on the respective substrates.

In the reference example shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, since two types of targets can be mounted on one support, two types of targets are formed on the deposition surface of one substrate in the same sputtering chamber. Films can be stacked. Even in the case of a double-sided film forming apparatus, film formation may be performed by mounting only one substrate.

5, for explaining a usage scenario in which the present invention is applied to both surfaces deposition apparatus, a schematic plan view. This configuration example is basically the same configuration as the reference example of FIG. 4, but is different in that three targets are provided on one support. Therefore, this configuration example will be described by paying attention to this difference, and detailed description of the same components as those in FIGS. 2 and 4 will be omitted.

  In the configuration example shown in FIG. 5, three supports having the same configuration are provided on each side of the tray 10. The supports 50, 52, 54, 50 ', 52' and 54 'correspond to the supports 20, 22, 24, 20', 22 and 24 'shown in FIG. 4, respectively. Each of these supports has a substantially hexagonal column shape, but every other side is formed with a large side, and a cathode is provided on each side. Each of the supports rotates (rotates) in the forward and reverse directions as indicated by the arrow c with the central axes C50, C52,... As rotation axes, and stops at an appropriate rotational position. It is formed so that the target can be positioned at a location. The central axis of each support is parallel to the film formation surface and parallel to each central axis, like the central axes of the supports 20, 22, and 24 described above.

  Of these six supports, the center side and one peripheral side support 50 and 52 will be described as representatives, and the configuration and operation of the remaining supports are the same as those of either of the supports 50 and 52. The overlapping description is omitted.

  The rotation axes of the supports 50 and 52 are C50 and C52, and the cathodes provided on the three side surfaces of the support are 60a, 60b, 60c and 62a, 62b, 62c. Targets 70a, 70b, 70c, 72a, 72b, and 72c are mounted on the target mounting surfaces 50a, 50b, 50c, 52a, 52b, and 52c of the respective cathodes. The three targets for one support are different types of targets. Between the supports, the same type of target is mounted at the same order position. Therefore, the same type of target faces the substrate simultaneously.

  In the configuration example shown in FIG. 5, each support is rotated, and first targets of the same type are positioned so as to face each other to form a film. In the second film formation, the respective supports are rotated so that the second target is of a different type from the first target, but is positioned so that the second target of the same type faces the substrate. Do. In the third film formation, each support is further rotated and positioned so that the third target of the same type is opposite to the substrate, although the type is different from the first and second targets. Then, film formation is performed. In this manner, three different component films can be formed on one substrate 12 in the same sputtering chamber.

  In the configuration example shown in FIG. 5 as well, as in the case described with reference to FIG. 2, the target sputtering surface facing the film formation surface of the substrate during film formation, and hence the target mounting surface of the support, In the case of the body 52, it is parallel to the film formation surface 12a, while the peripheral support 50 is inclined at an angle α with respect to the film formation surface 12a. However, the sputtering target surfaces of all targets facing the substrate at the time of film formation may be parallel to the substrate surface.

  In the configuration example shown in FIG. 5, shields (also referred to as adhesion preventing jigs) 80, 82, 84, 80 ′, 82 ′, and 84 ′ are provided for each support body. These shields, i.e., adhesion prevention jigs, are provided so as to substantially cover the entire length of the cathode and the target in the vertical direction along the center axis direction of each support. The shields 80, 82, 84, 80 ′, 82 ′, 84 ′ are provided so as to surround the periphery of the support and not to hinder the rotation of the support. Further, the shield is not exposed to the targets 70a and 72a facing the film formation surface of the substrate during film formation, so that the targets 80a and 72a are exposed from the shields 80 and 82. It is formed to be a siege.

  In the configuration example shown in FIG. 5, the shield has a substantially C-shaped cross section. Therefore, the C-shaped shields 80, 82, 84, 80 ′, 82 ′, and 84 ′ are required to be formed in the vertically divided openings 80a, 82a, 84a, 80′a, 82′a, and 84′a during film formation. Target is positioned.

  Thus, by providing a shield, it is possible to prevent sputter atoms and undesired particles flying at the time of film formation from adhering to the surface of the target or cathode that has been retracted without being used at the time of film formation. I can do it.

  The shield can be driven in conjunction with the support by a shield driving mechanism described later, and can be released from the support. With this shield drive mechanism, it is possible to select the interlock drive and the interlock release automatically or by an external command. This interlocking drive between the shield and the support is performed when adjusting the crossing angle (inclination angle) α between the sputtering surface of the target and the deposition surface of the substrate, or within a certain inclination angle (α) range. This is performed when the support is rotated and oscillated within a certain rotation angle range, for example, when the inclination angle is periodically changed. Therefore, since the interlocking between the shield and the support is released with respect to the rotation of the support for selecting a target to be sputtered during film formation, the shield is stationary in that case. .

  Also, by providing a cleaning device inside each shield, preliminary cleaning can be performed for each support without affecting other supports and the substrate. This cleaning device will be described later.

  6A and 6B are schematic plan views for explaining a modification of the support. In the configuration example shown in FIG. 6A, the support 90 has a triangular prism-like structure, cathodes 92 are formed on the three surfaces, and the targets 94 are individually fixed on the target mounting surface. Is done. The support 90 is rotatable around its central axis (rotation axis) C90.

  In the configuration example shown in FIG. 6B, the support body 95 has a quadrangular prism structure, and cathodes 97 are formed on the four surfaces thereof, and the targets 99 are individually fixed on the target mounting surfaces. Is done. The support body 95 is rotatable around its central axis (rotation axis) C95.

  These supports 90 or 95 can be used in place of the supports already described with reference to FIGS.

  In addition to the above-described configuration examples of the supports, umbrella-type supports can also be used.

  Note that the number and arrangement relationship of the supports provided in the sputtering chamber can be any suitable number and arrangement relationship. For example, in the configuration examples of FIGS. 2, 4 and 5 described above, an example in which three supports are arranged on one side of the substrate is shown, but four or more may be used, and these arrangements are These may be arranged in a row or not, and may be arranged in a grid pattern or in a circular pattern.

  Next, the target positioning mechanism and the distance adjusting mechanism will be briefly described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 7 is a schematic explanatory diagram for explaining the target positioning mechanism. In FIG. 7, 26 is a support, 28 is a rotation shaft provided on the support, and 36 is a rotation mechanism for rotating the rotation shaft, and includes, for example, a motor and a power transmission unit. A control unit 38 drives and controls the rotation mechanism 36 . The rotation shaft 28, the rotation mechanism 36, and the control unit 38 constitute a target positioning mechanism 40. The rotation mechanism 36 and the control unit 38 of the target positioning mechanism 40 can be easily configured by using a conventionally known arbitrary suitable method. However, in the present invention, the rotation of the support 26 can be rotated in the forward and reverse directions within an angle range of 360 degrees, and the rotation drive is stopped at an appropriate rotation position between them to position the support. . Alternatively, if necessary, the support 26 can be alternately rotated in the forward and reverse directions within a required rotation angle range, that is, can be rotated and vibrated.

  In order to perform necessary control such as rotation drive, rotation stop, and rotation vibration, a program is stored in the control unit 38 in advance, and automatically or not according to an external command, In accordance with the program, desired drive control such as rotation, rotation vibration, and stop may be performed.

  Unlike this configuration example, instead of directly connecting the rotation mechanism to the rotation shaft 28, the support 26 itself is mounted on a rotation plate (not shown) that rotates about its central axis. However, which method is used is merely a design problem and is not an essential matter of the present invention.

  Further, the target positioning mechanism 40 can be provided inside or outside the sputtering chamber, and it is only a matter of design whether it is provided.

  On the other hand, FIG. 8 is a schematic explanatory view for explaining the distance adjusting mechanism. In FIG. 8, reference numeral 42 denotes a stage on which the support 26 and the rotation mechanism 36 described above are mounted and supported. The stage 42 can be configured using any suitable method known in the art. In this configuration example, the driving of the stage 42 is controlled by the two-dimensional or three-dimensional driving mechanism 44 and the control unit 38 that controls the driving of the driving mechanism 44. Therefore, the distance adjustment mechanism 46 is constituted by the stage 42, the drive mechanism 44, and the control unit 38. The drive mechanism 44 can drive the stage 42 in two horizontal x and y directions and, in some cases, in the vertical direction, that is, the z direction, according to the program of the control unit 38.

  Further, the distance adjusting mechanism 46 can be provided inside or outside the sputtering chamber, and it is only a matter of design whether it is provided.

  Data and driving procedures necessary for the control driving of the target positioning mechanism 40 and the distance adjusting mechanism 46 described above are programmed based on data obtained in advance through experiments or the like and stored in the control unit 38 in advance. Just keep it.

  These necessary data include, for example, the number of supports, the number of targets attached to one support, the substrate size, the target size and type, the adjustable distance range between the centers of each support, the substrate surface and each support. Adjustable distance range between the center of the body, adjustable tilt angle range with the substrate surface of the peripheral support, and other suitable data. These data are obtained in advance as a data set for obtaining an optimum film as designed for each target type by actual measurement. What is necessary is just to perform each above-mentioned control drive with the program produced based on the obtained data.

  Further, in the configuration example described above, the distance adjustment mechanism 46 is a configuration in which the rotation mechanism 36 is mounted on the stage 42. However, the configuration in which the support body can be moved in each of the x direction, the y direction, and the z direction. Then, any other suitable configuration is possible.

  It should be noted that how to perform such drive control is not an essential matter of the present invention and will not be described further.

By the way, in the reference example or configuration example already described with reference to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, it is preferable to provide a cleaning device for cleaning a target that is not used for sputtering at the time of film formation. is there. This cleaning device includes a dedicated direct current or high frequency power source and a gas supply unit used for cleaning at least for each cathode on which each target is mounted. If necessary, it is preferable to provide a shielding means for preventing unwanted sputter atoms, gas and flying particles from passing between the sputtering chamber and the cleaning chamber in the sputtering chamber. These cleaning devices and shielding means may have any suitable configuration depending on the design.

  FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram for explaining one configuration example of the cleaning device. As an example, the case where the shield 86 is provided on the support 90 shown in FIG. 6A will be described. Each cathode 92 is provided with a direct current or high frequency power supply 88 that can individually apply power. In addition, a gas supply unit 89 that can introduce a gas necessary for cleaning from the outside and blow it out to a space between the shield 86 and the non-selected target mounted on the support 90 is provided. Moreover, the shielding means 93 can be provided so that an approximate sealed space can be formed by the shield 86 and the support 90, for example, as indicated by a broken line in the figure.

  The connection to each cathode 92 of the direct current or high frequency power supply 88 can be made through the rotating shaft of the support 90. Further, the gas supply units 89 may communicate with each other, or may be provided independently. The gas supply unit 89 may be provided integrally with the shield 86, or may be provided independently of the shield 86. Further, the cleaning device 91 may be controlled automatically in conjunction with the film forming process, or may be controlled by the manual command of the cleaning device 91 independently of the film forming process. A configuration for performing the control may be used, which is a design problem.

  FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of the shield drive mechanism. In this structural example, the case where the shield 86 is provided in the support body 90 shown to FIG. 6 (A) is shown. The shield drive mechanism can be configured as an optimum combination of the power transmission mechanism using gears, racks, various belts, and other power transmission means, and considering the environment and operability of providing the drive mechanism. .

  The illustrated shield drive mechanism 96 is an example configured with a combination of a gear and a rotating shaft. The rotation axis C90 of the support 90 is driven by the rotation mechanism 36 as already described with reference to FIG. A gear A is attached to the rotating shaft C90. The gear B is coupled or meshed with the gear A so that the coupling with the A gear can be freely released, and the gear C is coupled with the gear B. The gear C is provided with a rotating shaft C96, and another gear D is provided on the rotating shaft. The gear E is coupled to the gear D, and further, the gear E and the gear F provided on the outer wall of the shield 86 are coupled.

  Of course, the shield 86 is provided with a rotation support portion (not shown) for supporting the rotation of the shield. In addition, the number of teeth of each gear is set so that the rotation of the shield 86 and the support 90 can be synchronized. Further, the number of gears to be used is determined so that the rotation direction of the rotation axis C90 and the rotation direction of the shield 86 coincide.

  In order to interlock the rotation of the shield 86 and the support 90, all the gears A, B, C, D, E, and F are sequentially meshed. However, when the shield 86 is stopped without being interlocked with the rotation of the support 90, for example, the gear B may be disengaged from the adjacent gears A and C (shown by broken lines in FIG. 10). ). Such connection and / or release control may be performed automatically in response to a command from the control unit 38.

  As already described, the configuration of the shield drive mechanism 96 is not limited to the configuration example shown in FIG.

  In the embodiment described above, an example using a glass substrate has been described. However, the present invention can be applied even when a silicon substrate for semiconductors or other substrates is used instead of the glass substrate, and in that case the glass substrate is also used. As in the case of, the effects of the present invention can be achieved.

  In the above-described sputtering apparatus, the characteristic part of the present invention has been described in detail. Of course, the sputtering apparatus includes, for example, a vacuum exhaust system, a sputtering gas supply system, a transport system, a load / unload chamber, and the like. It also has the necessary components such as a processing chamber. However, these normal components are not essential to the present invention, and thus illustrations and explanations are omitted.

It is a schematic top view of the principal part used for description of the conventional sputtering apparatus. It is a schematic plan view of a principal part for explaining the sputtering apparatus of the present invention, and is a view showing a reference example in which film formation is simultaneously performed on one substrate using three targets. It is a schematic explanatory drawing used for description of the relative positional relationship of the cathode of a support body and a board | substrate used for the sputtering device of this invention. It is a schematic plan view of a principal part for explaining another configuration example of the sputtering apparatus of the present invention, and is a view showing a reference example in which the present invention is applied to a double-side film forming apparatus. Explaining the usage scenario of the sputtering apparatus of this invention, a schematic plan view of a main portion, which is a diagram showing a configuration example of application to both surfaces deposition apparatus of this invention. (A) And (B) is a schematic plan view with which it uses for description of the other structural example of the support body used for the sputtering device of this invention. It is explanatory drawing with which it uses for description of the target positioning mechanism used for the sputtering device of this invention. It is explanatory drawing with which it uses for description of the distance adjustment mechanism used for the sputtering device of this invention. It is a schematic explanatory drawing with which it uses for description of the cleaning apparatus which is the principal part of the sputtering device of this invention. It is a schematic explanatory drawing used for description of the shield drive mechanism which is the principal part of the sputtering apparatus of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

10a: Substrate holder 10b: Tray 12, 12 ': Substrate (glass substrate)
12a: Film formation surface 14: Sputtering chamber 16: Gate valve 20, 22, 24, 20 ′, 22 ′, 24 ′, 50, 52, 54, 50 ′, 52 ′, 54′90, 95: Support 20a , 20b, 22a, 22b, 24a, 24b, 20'a, 20'b, 22'a, 22'b, 24'a, 50a, 50b, 50c, 52a, 52b, 52c: target mounting surface 28: rotating shaft 30a, 30b, 32a, 32b, 34a, 34b, 30'a, 30'b, 32'a, 32'b, 34'a, 34'b, 60a, 60b, 60c, 62a, 62b, 62c, 92, 97: Cathode 70a, 70b, 70c, 72a, 72b, 72c, 94, 99: Target 36: Rotating mechanism 38: Control unit 40: Target positioning mechanism 42: Stage 44: Drive mechanism 46: Distance adjusting mechanism 86 Shield (adhesion-preventing jig)
88: DC or high frequency power supply 89: Gas supply unit 91: Cleaning device 93: Shielding means 96: Shield drive mechanism C1, C2, C3, C′1, C′2, C′3, C50, C52, C90, C95: Center axis (rotating shaft)
O1, O2, O3: Center axis of (cathode) C96: Rotating shaft A, B, C, D, E, F: Gear (power transmission part)

Claims (8)

A support, a shield, and a shield drive mechanism;
The support has a plurality of cathodes to which power is independently supplied, and is provided at a position facing the film-forming surface of the substrate so as to be rotatable about the central axis, and around the central axis by a rotation mechanism. , It is possible to select a target to be opposed to the film-forming surface of the substrate from the target attached to each cathode .
The shield surrounds the periphery of the support, leaving an opening provided in a direction facing the film-forming surface of the substrate, and is supported rotatably around the support.
The shield drive mechanism is interlocked with the rotation of the shield synchronized with the rotation of the support and the rotation of the support by the rotation mechanism by switching the power transmission unit of the rotation mechanism. A sputtering apparatus characterized in that the rotation of the shield is released .   The sputtering apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of combinations of the support and the shield.   The sputtering apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a distance adjusting mechanism that adjusts a distance between the supports.   The combination of the support and the shield is provided at a position where the support faces the center of the film formation surface of the substrate and a position where the support faces the periphery of the film formation surface of the substrate. The sputtering apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:   The sputtering apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the combination of the support and the shield is provided symmetrically across a tray on which a substrate is mounted on both sides.   6. The sputtering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a central axis of the support is parallel to a film formation surface of the substrate.   7. A distance adjusting mechanism for adjusting a facing distance between a target sputtering surface facing the film forming surface of the substrate and a film forming surface of the substrate. The sputtering apparatus of any one of these.   The sputtering apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cleaning device that cleans a target on a side of the substrate not facing the film formation surface.

Images