JPH03287764A - Sputtering system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To form a uniform film which is not deteriorated on a substrate from a target material by forming a permanent magnet on the rear of a target in the magnetron sputtering system into a non-circular ring parallel to the target. CONSTITUTION:A substrate 4 held by a holder 41 is arranged in a vacuum vessel 1, and a target 16 is opposed to the substrate. A discharge electrode 14 and a permanent magnet 54 are arranged on the rear of the target 16. A discharge electric field and a magnetic field Z are generated, hence the surface of the target 16 is sputtered, the target 16 is eroded, and a thin film of the target material is simultaneously formed on the substrate 4 surface. In this case, the magnet 54 on the rear of the target is arranged in the form of a ring parallel to the target 16 surface, the magnetization direction of the magnet 54 is almost parallel to the surface of the target 16 and substrate 14 as shown by the arrow, and consequently a homogeneous film of the target 16 is formed even on the large and wide substrate 4 by sputtering.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a sputtering apparatus for forming a film on a substrate surface within a vacuum container.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, in the manufacture of liquid crystal display panels, etc., In2O35n0, which is a transparent electrode material, is coated on the surface of a large flat glass substrate.
2 (Injuni Thin Oxide. Hereafter ITO
Formation of a thin film (abbreviated as ) is performed.

Conventionally, a sputtering apparatus shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 has been used to form an ITO thin film.

That is, a film forming chamber for performing sputtering film formation is constructed within a vacuum chamber 1, and preliminary exhaust chambers 2.degree.

In one of the pre-evacuation chambers 2 (or 3), the substrate 4 is movably installed while being supported by a support mechanism 4a, and the loading and unloading into and out of the vacuum chamber 1 is automatic as the isolation valves 11 and 12 open and close. or manually.

Note that 41 is a holder for the substrate 1, and 4b is a heating device for the substrate 4. Further, gas containing argon gas, etc. necessary for film formation is introduced into the vacuum container 1 from a gas inlet (not shown), and is set at a pressure of, for example, 0.3 [Pa (Pascals)]. A pressure monitoring device (not shown) is provided. 13 is a cooling water supply pipe.

The target 1 placed on the upper surface of the electrode 14 is applied to the discharge electrode 14 in the vacuum container l by applying a voltage from the power source 15.
A discharge electric field of about 0.7 W/cm2 is formed in the space above B.

Further, in the electrode 14, permanent magnets 51 and 52 are installed and housed on a magnetic material 53 such as iron, and a magnetic field shown by an arrow Y in FIG. 5 is formed to restrain electrons. As a result, target 16
is struck by argon ions, a sputtering action occurs, and a film containing the material of the target 16 as a main component is formed on the surface of the substrate 4.

After the film is formed, the discharge and gas supply are stopped, and the gas is transported to the other pre-evacuation chamber 3 via the isolation valve 12. Thereafter, a gas such as nitrogen is supplied to the preliminary exhaust chamber 3 from a gas inlet (not shown), and the pressure is increased to atmospheric pressure, and the partition wall valve 31 of the outer preliminary exhaust chamber 3 is opened and the gas is taken out to the outside.

However, as shown in FIG. 5, in the conventional sputtering apparatus, apart from the magnetic field Y formed by the central permanent magnet 51, the magnetic field Y formed outside by the permanent magnets 52 arranged in a ring shape on the outside. Since there is no magnet (corresponding to magnet 51) that passes through the returning magnetic field, a difference occurs in the magnetic field formation, resulting in a magnetic field with relatively weak binding force.

Therefore, on the outside, charged particles, that is, electrons in the atmosphere
A problem arose in that the substrate 4 collided with the surface and the temperature of the substrate 4 increased. The temperature rise of the substrate 4 reaches as high as about 250° C., and countermeasures have been required since, for example, the material of the substrate 4 or semiconductor substrate made of polyester, which has a heat resistance temperature of about 180° C. and is relatively heat-resistant, changes.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In conventional sputtering equipment, the magnetic field formed on the outside is relatively weak, so the binding force of electrons in the atmosphere is weakened, and the charged particles collide violently with the substrate 4, causing the substrate 4 to Problems arose in that the quality deteriorated in that area, making it impossible to form a uniform film, and that the quality of the film changed due to the inclusion of particles.

The present invention aims to eliminate the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, prevent charged particles in the atmosphere from flying toward the substrate, and form a uniform and good thin film.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) The first invention includes a target and a substrate disposed facing each other in a vacuum container, and a plurality of magnets for forming a magnetic field between them. In the sputtering apparatus, the plurality of magnets are arranged in a ring shape parallel to the target surface, and the magnetization direction within each magnet is substantially parallel to the target surface. do.

A second invention is characterized in that, in the first invention, the plurality of magnets are arranged in a non-circular ring shape.

(Function) As mentioned above, the sputtering apparatus according to the present invention has the following features:
Since the magnetization direction of the magnet is parallel to the target surface, charged particles in the atmosphere are restrained by the magnetic field formed approximately parallel to the target and substrate surfaces, and are controlled to move and collide with the substrate surface at an acute angle. be done.

Therefore, it is possible to prevent the substrate from being partially heated and deteriorated due to collisions with charged particles.

Further, by arranging the magnets in a ring shape, it is possible to form a uniform film over a wide range of substrate surfaces.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of a sputtering apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

Components that are the same as those of the conventional sputtering apparatus shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 are given the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

That is, a vacuum container 1 forming a film forming chamber has an isolation valve 1 on a side wall.
Pre-exhaust chambers 2 and 3 are provided adjacent to each other on the left and right sides via 1.12.

The substrate 4 is transferred automatically or manually from the pre-evacuation chamber 2 (or 3) into the vacuum container 1 through an inflow of gas such as argon gas or reactive gas necessary for film formation from a gas inlet (not shown). The inside of the vacuum vessel 1 is set to a predetermined pressure, and the discharge electrode 14 and the permanent magnet 54
A magnetic field Z is formed together with the discharge electric field. 53 is a magnetic material made of iron or the like.

This discharge electric field and magnetic field Z cause a sputtering effect on the surface of the target 16, such as tin oxide, which erodes the surface of the target 16, and forms a film mainly composed of the material of the target 16 on the surface of the substrate 4, such as glass. Ru.

By the way, the permanent magnets 54 that form the magnetic field Z are made of samarium-cobalt, for example, and are arranged in a ring shape parallel to the surface of the target 16 as shown in FIG. is substantially parallel to the surfaces of the target 16 and the substrate 4, as shown by arrows.

Since all the permanent magnets 54 have a common magnetic field forming condition, the magnetic field formed on the surface of the target 16 becomes almost uniform.

Therefore, the binding force of the electrons in the atmosphere due to the magnetic field Z becomes uniform, and charged particles no longer collide partially toward the substrate 4 as in the conventional case, eliminating the drawback of causing a rise in the temperature of the substrate 4. be done.

Further, since the magnets are arranged in a ring shape, uniform film formation is possible even on a large and wide substrate 4.

Note that, as in the conventional case, the substrate 16 after the coating is formed is transported to the other preliminary exhaust chamber 3 via the isolation valve 11 with the discharge and gas supply stopped. The pressure is increased to atmospheric pressure by introducing gas such as nitrogen through the inlet, and the pressure is taken out to the outside from the preliminary exhaust chamber 3 on the outside.

[Effects of the Invention] The sputtering apparatus according to the present invention is capable of forming a magnetic field under the same conditions in all sputtering regions, and uniform and good film formation is performed, which has practical effects. It's large.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of a sputtering apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view showing essential parts of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 2. figure,
Figure 4 is a sectional view showing a conventional sputtering device, Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional sputtering device;
The figure is an enlarged sectional view showing the main part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line A--A in FIG. 5. 1... Vacuum container, 11.12... Bulkhead valve,
13... Cooling water supply pipe, 14... Discharge electrode, 15
...Power source, 16...Target, 2.
3... Pre-exhaust chamber, 4... Board, 41... Support mechanism, 51
, 52.54...Permanent magnet, 53...Magnetic material. 1: True answer 16: Target 4: 1 ni Sakadai 1 171

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a sputtering apparatus in which a target and a substrate are disposed facing each other in a vacuum container and equipped with a plurality of magnets for forming a magnetic field between them, the plurality of magnets are parallel to the target surface. A sputtering apparatus characterized in that the magnets are arranged in a ring shape and the magnetization direction within each magnet is substantially parallel to the target surface. (2) The sputtering apparatus according to claim (1), wherein the plurality of magnets are arranged in a non-circular ring shape.