JP5771638B2 - Interlocked scanning of multiple magnetrons, especially two-stage fold magnetron - Google Patents

Description

Related applications

  This application claims benefits based on US Provisional Application Nos. 60/835671 and 60/835681, both filed on Aug. 4, 2006. This application is also related to US patent application Ser. No. 11 / 601,576 filed Nov. 17, 2006.

Field of Invention

  The present invention relates generally to sputter deposition in the manufacture of semiconductor integrated circuits. In particular, the present invention relates to a magnetron that scans the backside of a plasma sputtering target.

  Plasma magnetron sputtering has been performed for many years in the manufacture of silicon integrated circuits. More recently, sputtering has been applied to deposit material layers on large area, generally separable rectangular panels made of glass, metal or polymer, or equivalent sheets. Completed panels contain thin film transistors, plasma displays, field emitters, liquid crystal display (LCD) elements, or organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), and are typically for flat panel displays. Photovoltaic cells can be manufactured similarly. Related techniques can also be used for coating optical layers on glass windows. The material of the sputter deposited layer may be a metal such as aluminum or molybdenum, a transparent conductor such as indium tin oxide (ITO), and yet another material including silicon, metal nitride and oxide.

  Demaray et al. Describe such a flat panel sputtering chamber in US Pat. No. 5,565,071, which is fully incorporated herein by reference. Their sputter chamber 10 typically includes a rectangular sputter pedestal electrode 12 that is electrically grounded, as illustrated in the schematic cross-sectional view of FIG. 14 or other substrate is held opposite the rectangular sputtering target assembly 16. The target assembly 16, which is composed of metal whose surface is sputtered at least, is vacuum sealed to the vacuum chamber 18 with the isolator 20 therebetween. Typically, the target material layer to be sputtered is bonded to the backing plate, and a cooling water channel is formed inside the backing plate to cool the target assembly 16. A sputtering gas, typically argon, is supplied into the vacuum chamber 18 at a pressure in the millitorr range.

  It is advantageous to substantially eliminate the pressure differential between the target 16 and its backing plate by vacuum sealing the back chamber 22 or magnetic chamber to the back of the target assembly 16 and evacuating to low pressure. Thereby, the target assembly 16 can be made thinner. When a negative DC bias is applied to the conductive target assembly 16 with respect to the chamber ground, such as the pedestal electrode 12 or wall shield, the argon is ionized into a plasma. Positive argon ions are attracted to the target assembly 16 to sputter metal atoms from the target layer. Some of the metal atoms are directed in the direction of the panel 14 and a layer composed at least partially of the target metal is deposited on the panel. Metal oxide or nitride may be deposited in a process called reactive sputtering by supplemental supply of oxygen or nitrogen into the chamber 18 during metal sputtering.

In order to increase the sputtering rate, the magnetron 24 is typically placed on the back of the target assembly 16. Appropriate if the magnetron has a vertically poled inner pole 26 with an outer pole 28 of opposite polarity surrounding the inner pole so that the magnetic field protrudes into the chamber 18 and is parallel to the front of the target assembly 16 Under chamber conditions, a high density plasma loop is formed in the processing space adjacent to the target layer. The two opposite magnetic poles 26, 28 are separated by a substantially constant gap that defines the trajectory of the plasma loop. As the magnetic field from the magnetron 24 captures the electrons, the density of the plasma increases, and as a result, the sputtering rate of the target assembly 16 increases. Since the width between the linear magnetron 24 and the gap is relatively narrow, the magnetic flux density is increased. Since the magnetic field distribution has a closed shape along a single closed orbit, plasma leakage from the end portion is prevented.

The size of the rectangular panel for sputter deposition is increasing. Processing the panel size 1.87mx2.2m in some generations, total area called 40K because it exceeds 40000cm ^2. The size of the next generation panel, called 50K, exceeds 2 m on each side.

  These very large sizes create problems in magnetron design because the target is large and the magnetron is very heavy, but the magnetron must be scanned close to the entire target area. is there.

  Tepman describes many of these issues in US Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0049040, which is incorporated herein by reference. In Tepmann's design, a single large area rectangular magnetron that is only slightly smaller than the target is formed with a single inner pole and a single outer pole of opposite polarity that surrounds it. . The gap between them forms a long convoluted path that defines a closed plasma trajectory adjacent to the target sputter surface. The magnetron is scanned in a two-dimensional pattern that extends to a much smaller extent than the dimensions of the magnetron or target. Specifically, since the scan range is approximately equal to the pitch between adjacent plasma trajectories, a single continuous target is more uniformly sputtered and sputtered more uniformly. Le et al., US patent application Ser. No. 11 / 484,333, filed Jul. 11, 2006 and published as US Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0012562, includes improvements to Tepman's apparatus and method of operation. Which are incorporated herein by reference.

  However, conventional magnetron sputter chambers for large area flat panels have not fully utilized the target. In particular, the target edge adjacent to the periphery of the magnetron scan area erodes faster than the interior.

  One aspect of the present invention includes a magnetron having an outer pole that surrounds an inner pole of opposite polarity and that is separated from the inner pole by a gap that forms a closed loop. When the magnetron is mounted on the back surface of the sputtering target in the plasma sputtering chamber, a plasma trajectory is defined on the sputtering surface of the target from the closed loop. In this embodiment, the loop has parallel straight portions connected by a curved portion, and the loop is bent once. The two ends of the loop may be positioned side by side on the same side of the target, and it is more advantageous to make contact in the central region so that the loop polarity near the target side is increased.

  Such a magnetron may scan both parallel and perpendicular to the parallel part.

  These magnetrons may be duplicated and placed side by side. Duplicated magnetrons may be scanned simultaneously on each strip target.

  In another aspect of the invention, the magnets forming the magnetic poles may be strengthened in terms of their strength or number at the loop corners. By adding a magnet, the inner angle of the curved portion is pushed outward. A steep curved portion may be formed using an internal magnetic pole having a convex edge portion larger than 180 ° connected to the linear portion by a pair of concave portions.

  In a further aspect of the invention, the plurality of magnetrons may be supported on the support structure either in whole or in part and the support structure is scanned in one or two dimensions so that the interlocked magnetron Are scanned together in the horizontal direction. Each magnetron includes a closed gap between opposite magnetic poles to generate a closed plasma trajectory in the plasma chamber. Since the vertical support is elastic and partial, the plurality of magnetrons can move independently in the vertical direction.

1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a sputter chamber adapted for sputtering on a large panel. FIG. It is an orthographic projection figure of the scanning mechanism used for two-dimensional scanning of a magnetron system. FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a series of band-shaped magnetrons that are each partially supported and interlocked on an associated band-shaped target. It is an orthographic projection bottom view of the strip | belt-shaped magnetron which comprises a magnetron system. It is a top view of the conventional race track type magnetron. It is the schematic of a two-stage folding magnetron. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a two-stage folded magnetron that is symmetric with respect to its two ends. FIG. 8 is a plan view of the two-stage folded magnetron of FIG. 7 including a general distributed cylindrical magnet. FIG. 6 is a plan view of an improved two-stage folded magnetron having a holder and adjusting the dispersion of magnets around the corner of the plasma orbit. ~ FIG. 10 is a detailed view of two ends of the two-stage folded magnetron of FIG. 9. FIG. 10 is a detailed view of a central portion of the two-stage folded magnetron of FIG. 9. FIG. 10 is a plan view of a magnetron system composed of a plurality of strip-shaped magnetrons, each of which is a form of the two-stage folded magnetron of FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a sputtering source including a strip magnetron associated with a plurality of strip targets.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

  In one embodiment of the source assembly of the present invention, both the target and magnetron are separated into an associated strip target and strip magnetron. Since the strip target is supported on a single target shelf and the strip magnetron is supported on a single scan support plate, the magnetron is interlocked during the scan.

  Another embodiment includes a magnetron suitable for use in an interlocked magnetron assembly or other magnetron configuration.

  2 is similar to the scanning mechanism described by Lee et al. Reference is made to this application for further explanation. However, the scanning mechanism 30 preferably supports a large support plate made of a non-magnetic material such as aluminum, and the scanning mechanism 30 can scan in an arbitrary two-dimensional pattern. In contrast, the Tepman and Lee apparatus scans a single magnetic yoke that firmly supports and magnetically couples the entire magnetron assembly. The support plate 32 need not be a sheet member, but may be formed from a plurality of connecting members that form a rigid support structure, which is moved by two perpendicularly arranged actuators. The frame 34 supported on the main chamber body 18 supports two rows of rollers 36 on opposite sides thereof, and supports the reverse frame rails 38 and 40 that support the gantry 42 between them. Gantry 42 includes four rows of rollers (not shown) on inner struts 44, 46 and outer struts 48, 50. The four struts support the inverted gantry inner rails 52, 54 and outer rails 56, 58 in a rolling manner. The gantry rail partially supports the support plate 32 including a magnet partially suspended on the lower surface thereof. The inner supporting members 48 and 50 and the outer rails 56 and 58 are optional, but supplementarily support the side of the heavy support 34 to reduce the amount of drooping near the edge. The bracket type base plate 60 is fixed to the frame structure forming the gantry 42.

  The magnetic chamber roof 62 forming the upper end wall of the back chamber 22 of FIG. 1 is supported and sealed on the frame 34 with the gantry structure interposed therebetween, and becomes a vacuum wall at the top of the chamber that houses the magnetron system. The magnetic chamber roof 62 includes a rectangular opening 64 and a bottom of a bracket recess 66. The bracket chamber 68 fits into the bracket recess 66 and is sealed to the chamber roof 62 around the rectangular opening 64. The top plate 72 is sealed to the top of the bracket chamber 68 to complete the vacuum seal.

  A gantry bracket 70 movably disposed in the bracket chamber 68 is fixed to the base plate 60 of the gantry 42. An indicator bracket 74 and an intermediate angle steel 76 fixed on the mounting base 75 at the top of the magnetic chamber roof 62 hold the actuator assembly 78 in the actuator recess 79 in the magnetic chamber roof 62 outside the vacuum seal. The support bracket 74 also functions as part of a truss system built into the magnetic chamber roof 62. The actuator assembly 78 is connected to the interior of the bracket chamber 68 via two sealed vacuum ports.

  An actuator assembly 78 that includes two independent actuators moves on the gantry independently in one direction by a force applied through a gantry bracket 70 secured to the base plate 60 of the gantry 42, and is on the support plate 32. The support plate 32 is moved in the vertical direction by a belt driving device including a belt wound around two rollers (not shown) attached to columns 80 and 82 protruding upward from the window 84. The end of the belt is fixed to the pedestals 86 and 88 of the support plate 32.

  As shown very schematically in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 3, the support plate 32 partially supports each of a plurality of strip magnetrons 112 arranged in parallel via individual spring structures 114. Each strip magnetron 112 includes an individual strip magnetic yoke 116 and also acts as a back support plate for the strip magnetron 112. The magnetic yoke 116 supports and magnetically connects an inner magnetic pole 118 having a certain magnetic polarity and an outer magnetic pole 120 surrounding the magnetic pole 116 with opposite magnetic properties. The width of the gap 122 between the two magnetic poles 118, 120 is somewhat constant and is formed along a closed path or loop. The illustrated structure of the magnetic poles 118, 120 and the gap 122 is simpler than that of the preferred embodiment described below.

  Each strip magnetron 112 is partially supported on an individual strip target 124 via a rotating ball 126 secured to a magnetic yoke 116 or possibly captured by a ball holder attached thereto by an intermediate structure. There is also. When the support plate 32 is scanned together with the strip magnetron 112 by the rotating ball 126, the strip magnetron 112 can rotate on the strip target 124. An equivalent soft sliding portion may be used instead of the rotating ball 126. Typically, one or more spring mechanisms 114 and one or more rotating balls 126 are present in each strip magnetron 112 and maintain the angular orientation of the strip magnetron 112 and are individually somewhat flexible. Preferably, the support plate 32 can withstand almost all the weight of the magnetron, but the elasticity of the spring structure 114 allows each strip magnetron 112 to follow the deformation of the strip target 124. Lee et al. In US patent application Ser. No. 11 / 347,667, filed Feb. 2, 2006, for more details on the partial support, particularly the yoke 116, is described in U.S. Provisional Application No. No. 60/835680, Lavitskyk et al. And US Patent Application No. 11/601576 by Inagawa et al., Filed Nov. 17, 2006, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. The strip target 124 may be negatively biased to form a sputtering cathode and surrounded by the anode 127. The anode 127 is grounded or positively biased from the strip target 124 to excite the plasma adjacent to the strip target 124. RF bias application is also possible.

  Since the interlocked strip magnetrons can be scanned simultaneously by a set of actuators, they are scanned in parallel on a similar path on multiple strip targets. Nevertheless, the strip magnetrons are not directly mechanically coupled. The strip magnetrons may be made separately and assembled to a support plate, which simplifies the use of a very large and heavy magnetron assembly as a whole. Moreover, you may support a strip | belt-shaped magnetron in the orthogonal | vertical direction separately, for example using an independent spring support body. Similarly, separate vertical mechanical actuators may be used for each strip magnetron. In addition, by linking, a simple scanning mechanism can scan multiple magnetrons on a target that is divided into small areas separated by a mechanical structure, such as an anode, that can interfere with continuous magnetron scanning. It becomes possible.

The magnets 118 and 120 are cylindrical magnets, and are aligned with each yoke 116 by a nonmagnetic holder of the kind described in serial number 11/484333. The orthographic view, generally from the bottom, of FIG. 4 shows a multiple magnetron assembly resiliently suspended from the support plate 32, which is itself fixedly supported from rails 52, 54, 56, 58. Each strip magnetron 112 is divided into retainer sections 128 with a boundary 129 therebetween, which are associated with each of the sections of the yoke plate 116 that are flexibly connected and are typically retainers. It lies under the boundary 129 of the section 128 and is individually resiliently supported from the support plate 32. The rotating ball 126 partially supports the flexibly coupled retainer section 128 and the associated yoke section on the associated strip target 124. This allows the flexible magnetron to follow a non-planar target and conform to its shape.

  The simplified magnet distribution of FIG. 3 for each strip magnetron 112 corresponds to the well-known racetrack magnetron 140 illustrated in the plan view of FIG. The racetrack magnetron 140 typically has a generally linear inner pole 142 surrounded by an annular outer pole 144 of opposite polarity, with a substantially constant gap 148 therebetween. Actually, it is not necessary to cover the magnet with each magnetic pole surface and use the end of the magnet as a magnetic pole. Since the magnetron 140 extends along the axis from the tip end 150 to the tail end 152, the gap 148 defining the majority of the plasma trajectory it forms is connected at the 180 ° end 2. With two straight sections. However, the racetrack magnetron 140 is inconvenient because a hot spot is generated in the sputter erosion pattern in the vicinity of the tip and tail ends 150 and 152 thereof. Effective use of a target is determined by a hot spot, because once the target hot spot has penetrated the target, it must be replaced. We believe that hot spots arise from the small radius of the curvature of the ends 150, 152 and can be mitigated by adjusting the magnetic field distribution there. In addition, however, the racetrack magnetron 140 is generally too narrow for the number and width of strip targets and magnetrons intended for 2 m panel sputtering. It is known that a plurality of racetrack magnetrons are placed side by side so as to approach each other along the long side, but this does not solve the problem of hot spots.

  A serpentine magnetron of the type described by Tepman and Lee can be achieved by curving a racetrack magnetron into a serpentine pattern having parallel portions of a racetrack magnetron conventionally arranged in a straight line. For example, the two-stage folded magnetron 160 schematically illustrated in the plan view of FIG. 6 has fewer turns than the Tepman or Lee. This magnetron has an inner magnetic pole 162 of a certain polarity and an outer magnetic pole 164 of opposite polarity surrounding it, with a gap between them. Although the magnetron is wide, the gap and resulting plasma trajectory has three steep 180 ° corners 166 at two different positions on the left and right edges, two of which are close to the edge and the other is Located slightly away from the opposite edge. It seems that there is a bigger problem in the correction in the vicinity of the axis end of the band target. Further, different types of correction may be required for the more gentle 180 ° corner on one side. That is, the distribution of the magnets is asymmetric on the left and right as shown.

  The further two-stage folded magnetron 170 schematically illustrated in the plan view of FIG. 7 has further advantages. This magnetron has an inner magnetic pole 172 and an outer magnetic pole 174 of the opposite magnetic polarity surrounding it, with a gap between them. However, the tip and tail of the serpentine loop meet at a junction 176 near the center of the geometric end of the narrow strip magnetron, which is usually arranged linearly. As a result, four steep 180 ° curved portions are formed, and all are slightly shifted from the left and right edges. In any case, it is possible to distribute the magnets symmetrically at the axial ends of the strip magnetron and the strip target.

  As illustrated in the bottom view of FIG. 8, the detailed physical implementation for the two-stage serpentine magnetron 180 includes a series of non-magnetic holders 181 that are screwed to the yoke 116. . Individual retainers are not shown, but each is typically only part of the axial length of the magnetron 180. A more detailed description of the retainer can be found in the Tepman and Lee patent application. The retainer has a cylindrical hole or opposing serrated edge defining an inner magnet location 182 and an outer magnet location 184 therebetween, and a non-magnetic gap 186 therebetween. Magnets having opposite magnetic polarities are inserted into the inner and outer magnet positions 182 and 184, respectively. Since each magnet set is distributed substantially continuously, the inner magnet position 182 defines an inner pole of a certain polarity, and the outer magnet position 184 defines an outer pole of opposite polarity that surrounds the inner pole. In this embodiment, for the most part, the magnets are arranged in a close-packed two-row configuration inside the magnetron and in a single row at the periphery of the magnetron. The width of the gap 186 between the inner and outer poles is substantially constant and is formed in a closed shape or loop, which roughly corresponds to the plasma trajectory that the magnetron forms on the sputter surface of the target. However, additional magnet positions may be provided in the holder inside or outside the row, particularly around the corners, to adjust the distribution and strength of the magnetic field.

  However, this primary design tends to produce external hot spots 190 and internal hot spots 192. Both types of hot spots 190, 192 are believed to arise from the sharp edges 193, 194 of the inner and outer poles and the associated sharp corners in the plasma trajectory. For various reasons, the plasma trajectory tends to deviate toward the sharp edges 193, 194, and tends to have a high current density that results in a high plasma density and a high sputter rate associated therewith.

One cause for the lateral movement of current in the plasma is a magnet imbalance at the corner with high curvature, which in the primary design is for each segment of the plasma trajectory and is located on both sides of the gap. This is because it includes one row of magnets having opposite polarities. That is, the outer magnet row is a single row, and the inner magnet rows are all two rows. The primary design of FIG. 8 forms a two-row structure joint 196 between the top and tail of the curved meandering magnet. The number of magnets of a certain polarity associated with the convex steep ends 193, 194 of the curved gap, adjacent to the sharp corners, is arranged on the outer curved edge of the concave side of the curved gap, Is significantly less than the number of opposite magnets. Due to this imbalance of the magnets, the plasma trajectory tends to be pushed out toward the sharp ends 193, 194. This misalignment of the plasma trajectory centerline can be explained by understanding that the trajectory centerline tends to occur when the magnetic field in front of the sputter target is horizontal, ie, parallel to the target. When one magnetic pole is weaker than the other, the flat part of the magnetic field distribution is pushed out to the weaker magnetic pole.

  An improved two-stage serpentine magnetron 200 is illustrated in the bottom view of FIG. Further details of the complementary end sections 202, 204 are illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, and a central section 206 is illustrated in FIG. The straight and corner holders may be sized and shaped to minimize the number of unique holders. Similar to the above, the linear internal holders 208, 210 with serrated edges define a meshing two-row magnet position 212 therebetween. However, in a target assembly that includes a stiffener between the anode and possibly the strip target, the edge clearance is reduced, so the external linear retainer 214 is integrated from one side to the other and the outer straight line A row of cylindrical magnet holes 216 are drilled through the shaped holder. These figures do not accurately represent the magnet hole 216 of the holder 214 because it is not clear that the external linear holder 214 is continuous from one side of the magnet hole 216 to the opposite side. Also, these figures do not show rotating balls that enter between the holders and sometimes enter the holders.

  One way to improve erosion uniformity is to remove one magnet row from the joint 196 in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 12, the single row joint 220 is formed by a single row of magnet positions 222 formed between the serrated edges of the two joint holders 224, 226. Also includes perforations 228 for external single magnet rows.

  Due to the change in the magnetic field at the corner, the corner effect is at least partially generated. It is desirable to keep the magnetic field strength at the corners approximately the same as that at the straight line. One way to make the magnetic field uniform in a curved shape is to change the strength of the individual magnets. For example, the strength of most magnets, indicated by the symbol N38, is moderate. However, some magnet positions are occupied by stronger and more expensive magnets, for example as indicated by the symbol N48.

  As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, in one embodiment, a teardrop holder 230 for use at an internal 180 ° sharp corner has an internal magnet location 232 filled with N48 magnets. The standard magnet position 234 slightly extends outward from the inner magnet position 232. The external magnet position 236 extends further outward at the tip of the teardrop holder 230. In different embodiments, some or all of the standard and external magnet positions 234, 246 are left filled or hollow. The strength of these latter magnets may also be varied.

  As shown in FIG. 12, a similar teardrop-shaped holder 240 whose teardrop shape is defined by the magnet position is used at an intermediate 180 ° sharp corner adjacent to the joint 220. These also have an internal magnet position 242, a standard magnet position 244 in the expanded position, and an external magnet position 246 that extends further outward at the tip.

  Another approach is to increase the radius of the plasma trajectory adjacent to the 180 ° sharp corner. This can be accomplished by removing the magnets from the internal magnet positions 232, 242 and concentrating the magnets at the expanded standard positions 234, 244 or the further expanded external positions 236, 246. The effect of the teardrop shape is to provide a smooth and narrow inner magnet and a plasma trajectory associated therewith to reduce sharp curvature. This slow spread contrasts with the use of a conventional inner pole with a T-shaped end where the curvature of the outer tip decreases but the curvature of the portion entering T increases. Due to the spread, a convex portion of the plasma orbit and a pair of concave portions that supplement the convex portion and connect to the straight portion of the plasma orbit are formed at the corner portion exceeding 180 °. The recess may include at least three magnets aligned along the curved portion.

  As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the radially outer inner corner retainer 250 has a serrated edge that forms with the radially inner inner corner retainer 252 and is a curved meshing double row standard magnet. A position 254 is defined. However, since the radially outer inner corner holder 250 has additional magnet holes 256 drilled, the plasma trajectory can be pushed radially outward using a replacement or additional magnet. Furthermore, the magnetic field can be adjusted by an additional magnet hole 258 drilled in the radially inner corner holder 252.

  The magnetron 200 may be juxtaposed with the belt-like target 260 having the curved corner portion 262, and a short distance may be scanned with respect to the target. In order to prevent selective redeposition on the band-like target 260 portion outside the plasma trajectory of the curved corner portion 262, it is desirable that the curvature of the plasma trajectory shape is substantially equal to the curvature of the curved corner portion 262 of the target. . Thus, the integrated external corner holder 264 is drilled with a single row of standard magnet holes 266 as well as a number of additional magnet holes 268 radially inward. By reducing the number of magnets in the standard magnet hole 266 and concentrating the magnet in a part or all of the additional magnet hole 268, it is possible to push the plasma trajectory radially inward and follow the curved corner portion 262 of the target. .

  The target assembly 270 illustrated in the plan view of FIG. 13 includes six strip magnetrons 200 that are associated with six strip targets 260 and arranged in parallel. Each strip magnetron 200 may have the features described above.

  The techniques described above may be applied to a magnetron other than the two-stage fold magnetron. In particular, in a single racetrack magnetron, it is beneficial to adjust the curvature of the plasma trajectory and the magnetic field strength adjacent to the two sharp edges. In addition, multiple single racetrack magnetrons are supported on a single support plate to be interlocked, elastically and partially supported, roll on one or more targets, and follow their contours. It is possible. The described embodiment includes a cylindrical magnet having an axis perpendicular to the sputter surface of the target, but a magnetron whose opposite polarity is tilted by less than 45 ° toward the center of the gap separating the two magnetic poles. Various aspects of the present invention can be applied to.

The sputtering chamber 280 illustrated in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 14 includes a plurality of strip targets 282 and associated strip magnetrons 284. The band-shaped target 282 and the band-shaped magnetron 284 utilize the features of the present invention described above. The spring mechanism 114 that partially supports the magnetron 284 from the support plate 32 is not shown. Each strip target 282 includes a target layer 286 having an axially extending side notch boundary 288 corresponding to the plasma dark. The target layer 286 of each strip target 282 is bonded to the strip backing plate 290 via an adhesive layer 292 in the horizontal range substantially the same as the strip target layer 286. The belt-like backing plate 290 is formed of a protrusion that penetrates the belt-like backing plate 290 and has a cooling passage 294 drilled therein. The lightweight filling material layer 296 may be a dielectric, and is filled with a valley between the ridges, flattened above the ridges, and a flat surface on which the rotating balls 126 of the strip magnetron 284 roll. Configure. The strip target 282 is fixedly supported on the chamber 18 by a mechanical structure (not shown) including a shelf 298 having an opening for supporting the peripheral portion of the strip backing plate 290. Electric power is supplied to the strip target 282 to excite the plasma of the sputtering gas.

  The strip-shaped target 282 allows the grounded anode 300 extending in the axial direction to protrude toward the sputtering surface of the target while being held in the gap formed by the notch boundary portion 288 between two adjacent strip-shaped targets 282. It is possible and advantageous. The ground anode 300 is electrically isolated from the strip backing plate 290 by an insulator 302, which may comprise an extension of the fill material layer 296, and includes a high vacuum sputtering chamber 18, a low vacuum back chamber 22, It is good also as a vacuum seal between. On the other hand, power may be supplied to the strip target 282, isolated from the anode 300 by another vacuum gap narrower than the insulator 302 and the plasma dark portion, and used as a cathode in generating the sputtering plasma. Sputter chamber 280 further includes an electrical ground shield 304 to protect the chamber sidewalls from deposition while also functioning as a side anode. The insulator 306 electrically isolates the chamber 18 and the belt-like backing plate 290 supported by the shelf from the shelf 298. However, insulation may be provided between the shelf 298 and each of the different strip targets 282 that it supports.

  By scanning the support plate 32 in a pattern, all the magnetrons 284 are scanned substantially in synchronization with the pattern. Deviations between the paths of the magnetron arise mainly from the elasticity of the support on the support plate. The scan pattern may extend along one of the orthogonal x and y axes, or, for example, an O-shaped pattern having a portion extending along the x and y axes, and an X having a portion extending along two diagonals. It is a mold pattern, a Z-shaped pattern extending along opposite parallel sides and a diagonal line therebetween, or other complex pattern. Although only a single scanning mechanism is required for multiple magnetrons, it will be appreciated that multiple sets of multiple magnetrons and associated scanning mechanisms are possible.

  It should be emphasized that some of the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to two-stage serpentine magnetrons or separate and resiliently supported magnetrons.

  Various embodiments of the present invention may be used for more uniform sputtering and more complete target utilization.

Claims (8)

A rigid support structure;
A plurality of magnetic yokes separated elastically and partially by a support structure;
A plurality of magnet arrays having closed paths formed between opposite polarity poles and supported separately by each of the magnetic yokes ;
Interlocking including rotation or sliding means formed on the surface of the magnet array opposite the magnetic yoke to allow the magnetic yoke and magnet array to be partially supported while moving on the target assembly Magnetron. The magnetron of claim 1, wherein each magnetic yoke includes a plurality of flexible sections.   The magnetron of claim 1, further comprising a target including a plurality of separate target bands associated with each of the magnet arrangements.   The magnetron according to claim 1, further comprising a scanning mechanism for moving the support structure in a two-dimensional pattern.   The magnetron according to claim 1, wherein the support structure is a non-magnetic plate. A rigid support structure;
A plurality of magnetrons separated and elastically supported by a support structure;
An interlocking magnetron comprising rotating or sliding means formed on the surface of the magnet array opposite the support structure to allow the magnetron to be partially supported while moving on the target assembly . The magnetron according to claim 6 , further comprising a scanning mechanism for moving the support structure around the back surface of the target assembly in a two-dimensional pattern having portions extending along individual non-parallel directions. 8. A magnetron as claimed in any one of claims 6 and 7 , wherein the support structure comprises a non-magnetic plate.