JPH01184275A - Sputtering device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To keep the ratio between the partial pressures of sputtering gases constant and to stabilize the compsn. and characteristics of a film by installing a means of measuring the partial pressures of the sputtering gases in a vacuum chamber and a means of controlling gas flow rate regulators in accordance with signals from the measuring means. CONSTITUTION:A vacuum chamber 7 is evacuated and gaseous Ar and O2 are introduced into the chamber 7 through gas flow rate regulators 9, 10. The partial pressures of the gases in the chamber 7 are measured with a partial pressure measuring device 11 and the regulators 9, 10 are subjected to feedback with a controller 12 to regulate the flow rates of the sputtering gases so that the ratio of the partial pressure of gaseous Ar to that of gaseous O2 is kept within about + or -0.1. The extent of reaction of sputtered particles with a reactive gas can be stabilized.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Industrial applications The present invention relates to a sputtering device.

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, sputtering apparatuses have been widely used for forming recording films for magneto-optical disks and optical disks.

An example of a conventional sputtering apparatus will be described below with reference to FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a target fixed to the surface of a backing plate 2, and the target 1 is cooled by cooling water supplied from a pipe 3 to the back surface of the backing plate 2. A DC or high frequency power source 5 is connected to the cathode main body 4, which includes the target 1, a backing plate 2, and a cooling water pipe 3, and the power source 5 causes the target 1 to face the target 1 and form a film by sputtering. Plasma is generated between the substrate 6 and the substrate 6. Reference numeral 7 denotes a vacuum chamber in which a cathode body 4 with a target 1 and a substrate 6 are installed, and a vacuum state can be maintained. A reduced pressure atmosphere is created. Reference numerals 9 and 10 indicate gas flow rate regulators that adjust and supply the sputtering gas flow rate into the vacuum chamber 7, and are provided for each sputtering gas to form a gas supply system.

The operation of the sputtering apparatus configured as described above will be explained below. First, vacuum chamber 7
The inside of the chamber is evacuated to a vacuum level of 10 Torr using a vacuum pump 8. After that, the gas flow regulator 9.
10 into the vacuum chamber 7, Ar gas,
Gas is introduced, the degree of vacuum is set to about 5×10 Torr, and a direct current or high frequency voltage is applied to the cathode body 4 by the power source 5 to generate plasma inside the vacuum chamber 7.

This generates Ar ions and when they collide with the target 1, sputter particles are scattered from the collided area, and these sputter particles react with 02 and deposit on the surface of the substrate 6 placed opposite the target 1. A thin film is formed.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the conventional configuration as described above, since Ar gas and Q gas are flowed into the vacuum chamber 7 from the gas flow rate regulators 9 and 10 at a constant flow rate, the two gases are The partial pressure ratio changes slightly, and therefore, when performing reactive sputtering using Ar gas and 0□ gas, the amount of O2 that reacts with sputtered particles changes, and the composition of the film changes. For example, when forming a recording film for optical disks, a change in the gas partial pressure ratio of Ar gas and 02 gas by about 0.3 will change the properties of the film, causing a problem of lower yield in mass production. had.

The present invention solves the above problems by keeping the gas partial pressure ratio of the sputtering gas supplied to the vacuum chamber constant during sputtering, thereby stabilizing the composition and characteristics of the film and improving reproducibility. The purpose of this invention is to provide a sputtering apparatus that improves the yield of products in mass production.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the sputtering apparatus of the present invention includes a vacuum chamber that can maintain a vacuum state, a vacuum pump that creates a reduced pressure atmosphere in the vacuum chamber, and a plurality of sputtering gases. On the other hand, a gas supply system having respective gas flow rate regulators supplying the sputtering gas while adjusting the flow rate into the vacuum chamber, a target, and a cathode having a backing plate for fixing the target, and a film formed by sputtering. A sputtering apparatus comprising a substrate and a power supply that applies a voltage to the cathode to generate plasma between the target and the substrate, the gas partial pressure measuring the partial pressure of the sputtering gas in the vacuum chamber. a measuring device; and a control device that inputs a sputtering gas partial pressure signal from the gas partial pressure measuring device, controls the gas flow rate regulator so that the partial pressure ratio of the sputtering gas is constant, and adjusts the sputtering gas flow rate. It was established.

Effect With the above configuration, during sputtering, the partial pressure of the sputtering gas supplied into the vacuum chamber is measured by a gas partial pressure measuring device, and the gas flow rate is adjusted by the control device so that the partial pressure ratio of the sputtering gas is constant. Apply feedback to the device and adjust the gas flow rate. Therefore, since the gas partial pressure ratio in the vacuum chamber becomes constant, when using 02 gas as the sputtering gas, the amount of 0□ that reacts with sputtered particles becomes constant, there is no change in the composition of the film, and the film The properties of the product are stable, and the product yield is improved in mass production.

EXAMPLE Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. Note that the same components as those in FIG. 2 of the conventional example are given the same reference numerals, and the explanation thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a sputtering apparatus of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 11 is a gas partial pressure measuring device that measures the partial pressure of the sputtering gas inside the vacuum chamber 7, and the sputtering gas partial pressure signal a of the gas partial pressure measuring device 11 is transmitted to the gas flow rate regulator 9°. control device 12 that controls 10;
and the control device 12 sends control signals to the Ar gas flow rate regulator 9 and the Ar gas flow rate regulator 10, respectively, so that the partial pressure ratio of the sputtering gas is constant.
output to adjust the sputtering gas flow rate.

The operation of the sputtering apparatus configured as above will be explained.

First, the inside of the vacuum chamber 7 is evacuated using the air pump 8 to a degree of vacuum on the order of 10-6 Torr.

After that, Ar gas and O2 gas were introduced into the vacuum chamber 7 through the gas flow rate regulators 9 and 10, and 5X
Set the degree of vacuum to about 10 = Torr. Furthermore, at this time, the gas partial pressure inside the vacuum chamber 7 is measured by the gas partial pressure measuring device 11, and the gas partial pressure is controlled by the control device 12 so that the gas partial pressure ratio of Ar gas and 02 gas is within ±0.1. Apply feedback to flow rate regulator 9.10,
Adjust sputtering gas flow rate.

Here, the target 1 is cooled by cooling water from a cooling water pipe 3. Next, a DC or high frequency voltage is applied to the cathode body 4 from the power source 5 to generate plasma inside the vacuum chamber 7. Ar ions are generated by this plasma and collide with the target 1, whereby sputtered particles are scattered from the collided portion. These scattered sputtered particles are removed by Ar inside the vacuum chamber 7.
Since the gas partial pressure ratio between the gas and the 02 gas is kept constant, a constant amount of 02 reacts with the gas and forms a film by depositing on the surface of the substrate 6 placed opposite the target 1.

In this way, during sputtering, the vacuum chamber 7
By keeping the gas partial pressure ratio of the gas supplied inside constant, the amount of reaction between the sputtered particles and the reaction gas can be stabilized, the composition and characteristics of the film can be stabilized, and the reproducibility can be improved. Yield can be improved in mass production of recording films for optical discs.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, the control device applies feedback to the gas flow rate regulator so that the partial pressure ratio of the sputtering gas in the vacuum chamber measured by the gas partial pressure measuring device is constant. By adjusting the sputtering gas flow rate, the amount of reaction between the sputtered particles and the sputtering gas can be stabilized, the composition and characteristics of the film can be stabilized, and the yield of the product can be improved in the case of mass production.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a sputtering apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of a conventional sputtering apparatus. 1...Target, 2...Backing plate, 4
...Cathode body, 5...Power supply, 6...Substrate, 7
... Vacuum chamber, 8... Vacuum exhaust pump, 9.
10... Gas flow rate regulator, 11... Gas partial pressure measuring device, 12... Control device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A vacuum chamber that can maintain a vacuum state, a vacuum pump that creates a reduced pressure atmosphere in the vacuum chamber, and a plurality of sputtering gases that are supplied into the vacuum chamber while adjusting the sputtering gas flow rate. A gas supply system having a flow rate regulator, a target, a cathode having a backing plate for fixing the target, a substrate on which a film is to be formed by sputtering, and a voltage being applied to the cathode to generate plasma between the target and the substrate. A sputtering apparatus is equipped with a gas partial pressure measuring device for measuring the partial pressure of the sputtering gas in the vacuum chamber, and a sputtering gas partial pressure signal is input from the gas partial pressure measuring device. A sputtering apparatus comprising: a control device that controls the gas flow rate regulator and adjusts the sputtering gas flow rate so that the partial pressure ratio of the sputtering gas is constant.