JPH0570941A - Sputtering device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To minimize downtime required to clean and exchange a target. CONSTITUTION:A thin film-shaped target 12 is rolled, put in a sputtering chamber 10, unrolled and irradiated with plasma through the irradiating window 19 of a shielding block 13. When the unrolled part of the target 12 is stained, a fresh face of the target 12 is exposed to the window 19 by turning a roll 17.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus (sputtering apparatus) for depositing a thin film of metal or the like on the surface of a sample (object) used in the manufacturing process of ICs and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The structure of a conventional sputtering apparatus is shown in FIG.
Will be explained. In a sealed sputtering chamber 40, a sample 41 to be vapor-deposited and a target 42 which is a material of a vapor-deposited film are arranged to face each other. In the sputter chamber 40, an inert gas such as argon (Ar) is introduced into the gas introduction pipe 44.
From another tube 45, and from another tube 45 through the sputter chamber 40.
The gas is discharged so that the internal pressure becomes a predetermined low value.

In the sputtering chamber 40, the inert gas is turned into plasma and irradiated on the surface of the target 42. Since a negative potential is applied to the target 42 and a positive potential is applied to the sample 41 (in some cases, an AC voltage may be applied), atoms of the target substance released from the surface of the target 42 by plasma irradiation. Alternatively, molecules are deposited on the surface of the sample 41.

[0004]

When the sputtering apparatus is used for a long time, the target 42 is sputtered, and the surface condition of the target 42 itself changes. When the target 42 is an alloy or the like, one of the elements forming the alloy is preferentially sputtered and the composition of the remaining target 42 gradually changes. Therefore, there is also a problem that the film quality of the vapor deposition layer of the sample 41 is different from the desired one.

In order to prevent such a problem, conventionally,
Target 4 at regular intervals or by sample inspection
When the second stain was detected, it was necessary to replace the target 42 with a new one or to remove the surface of the bulk target 42 to expose a new surface. However, in any of these cases, the target 42
Must be taken out from the sputter chamber 40, and it is necessary to break the vacuum in the sputter chamber 40 once and evacuate again. Therefore, the conventional sputtering apparatus has a problem that the downtime for cleaning or replacing the target 42 is long.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and provides a sputtering apparatus in which downtime for replacement and cleaning of a target is minimized.

[0007]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a sputtering apparatus for depositing a target material on the surface of an object by irradiating the target with plasma. On the other hand, it is provided with a shielding member which is arranged at a position so as to cover the target and has a plasma irradiation window on the surface of the target, and b) a mechanism which relatively moves the target and the plasma irradiation window of the shielding member. And

[0008]

When the sputtering process is performed for a certain period of time, or when it is determined by inspection of the target object that the target exposed from the plasma irradiation window is dirty, the mechanism of b) is used. The target and the plasma irradiation window are moved relative to each other to expose a new surface of the target to the plasma irradiation window. As a result, it is possible to deposit a target object on a new target surface thereafter.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a sectional view schematically showing the structure of the sputtering apparatus of this embodiment, but the basic structure is the same as that of the conventional apparatus shown in FIG. That is, in the sealed sputtering chamber 10, a sample 11 to be vapor-deposited is arranged facing the target 12. In the sputter chamber 10, an inert gas such as argon (Ar) is introduced into the gas introduction pipe 14
From another tube 15 and from another tube 15 into the sputter chamber 10
The gas is discharged so that the internal pressure becomes a predetermined low value.

In the sputtering apparatus of this embodiment, the structure of the target 12 and its surroundings is different from that of the conventional apparatus shown in FIG. First, the target 12 is a thin film in this embodiment, and is stretched between two rolls of a feed roll 16 and a winding roll 17. A metal anvil 18 is arranged below the thin film target 12 between the rolls 16 and 17, and a shield block 13 (shielding member) having a window 19 for plasma irradiation above the thin film target 12.
To place.

The operation of the sputtering apparatus of this embodiment is as follows. Before starting the sputtering, the anvil 18 is lowered by an elevating mechanism (not shown) and the winding roll 17 is rotated to wind the thin film target 12 by a predetermined length. The winding length at this time is (in the moving direction D of the thin film target) of the window 19 of the shielding block 13.
Keep it a little longer than the length. As a result, the new surface of the thin film target 12 is exposed in the window 19 of the shielding block 13. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the anvil 18 is raised to move the thin film target 12 to the anvil 1.
8 and the shielding block 13 between them. After the winding roll 17 winds the thin film target 12 for a predetermined length, the thin film target 12 is prevented from wrinkling by applying a torque to both rolls 16 and 17 in opposite directions and applying a light tension. Is desirable.

After the target 12 is prepared in this way, an inert gas is introduced into the sputtering chamber 10 to turn it into plasma, and a negative potential is applied to the thin film target 12 through the anvil 18 to perform sputtering treatment on the sample 11. To do. During the sputtering process, when the thin film target 12 exposed from the plasma irradiation window 19 of the shield block 13 is deteriorated by oxidation or selective release due to residual oxygen, the sputtering apparatus of this embodiment performs the following operation. A new target surface can be formed without breaking the vacuum of the sputtering chamber 10.

First, the anvil 18 is lowered to free the thin film target 12 as shown in FIG. Next, the winding roll 17 is rotated to wind the thin film target 12 by the above predetermined distance. Thereby, the shielding block 13
A new surface of the thin film target 12 is exposed in the plasma irradiation window 19 of FIG. After that, if the anvil 18 is raised and the thin film target 12 is fixed between the anvil 18 and the shield block 13, the sputtering process can be performed using a new target surface in the same manner as described above.

Although the anvil 18 is moved up and down in the above embodiment, the same effect can be obtained by moving the shield block 13 up and down. Also, as shown in FIG.
The thin film target 12 may be simply wound in a single roll between the two rolls 20 and 21. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, a grounded shield plate 22 may be provided on the shield block 13 to prevent spatter emission from the shield block 13.

[0015]

According to the sputtering apparatus of the present invention,
When the target becomes dirty, a new surface of the target can be exposed without breaking the vacuum in the sputtering chamber. Therefore, the large downtime factor of breaking the vacuum for target replacement or cleaning is minimized, and the throughput of the sputtering apparatus is improved. Moreover, since a new surface of the target can be easily formed, it becomes easy to keep the quality of the film formed on the sample constant.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a sputtering apparatus that is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the target in which the thin film target is fixed between the anvil and the shield block.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a target portion of a sputtering apparatus that is another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a target portion when a shield plate is provided on the shielding block.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional sputtering apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Sputtering chamber 11 ... Sample 12 ... Thin film target 13 ... Shielding block 14 ... Gas introduction pipe 15 ... Gas exhaust pipe 16 ... Feed roll 17 ... Winding roll 18 ... Anvil 19 ... Plasma irradiation window

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A sputtering apparatus for depositing a target material on the surface of an object by irradiating the target with plasma, comprising the steps of: a) arranging the target at a position so as to cover the target and plasma on the surface of the target. A sputtering apparatus comprising: a shield member having an irradiation window; and b) a mechanism for relatively moving the target and the plasma irradiation window of the shield member.