JPS63307270A - Sputtering device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the utilization efficiency of a target for sputtering and the uniformity of thickness of a formed film by fitting the target to a cathode, placing a looped beltlike magnet having alternately arranged N and S poles at prescribed intervals on the rear side of the cathode and moving the magnet at a constant speed. CONSTITUTION:A target 12 for sputtering is fitted to a cathode 13 in a vacuum chamber 11 so that it confronts a substrate 16 on which a film is to be formed, fitted to a substrate holder 17. A looped beltlike magnet 14 having alternately arranged N and S poles at prescribed intervals is placed on the rear side of the cathode 13 so that the S and N poles are positioned perpendicularly to the moving direction 21 of the magnet 14. The magnet 14 is moved at a constant speed and sputtering is carried out as usual. Thus, the utilization efficiency of the target 12 is improved and a film of a uniform thickness is formed on the substrate 16.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 2. Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a magnetron sputtering apparatus, that is, an apparatus for forming a desired thin film on an object to be deposited by sputtering technology.

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional magnetron sputtering apparatus has a vacuum chamber 1, as shown in FIG. It is equipped with a vacuum pump 7 to reduce the pressure inside the chamber 1, a gas path 8 to introduce gas into the chamber 1, etc. The sputtering target 2 is installed on the cathode 3 attached to magnets 4a and 4b, and 5 is mounted on the anode 6. and,
Cathode 3. Problems in applying direct current to apply an electric field between the anodes 6 are described below.

■ When the magnets 4a and 4b are fixed in the cathode 3, for example in the form shown in FIG. 5a, the erosion area 1o on the target 2 is
It will look like the figure below.

This erosion region 10 is very small compared to the area of the target 2. In other words, the utilization efficiency of targets is extremely poor, which is an obstacle to reducing target costs.

■ In order to improve the above-mentioned poor target utilization efficiency, there is an example in which a mechanism is used to move the magnets 4a and 4b within the cathode, but in this case too, there is a limit to the movable range.
The target was not spat from the entire surface, and it was not possible to significantly improve the target utilization efficiency.

(2) In addition to poor target utilization efficiency as shown in items (2) and (2), another problem is that film thickness distribution (non-uniformity in film thickness) occurs on the film-forming object 5.

Here, the material sputtered from target 2 is cos
It adheres to the object 5 to be film-formed according to the rules. At this time, the sputtered substance is scattered from the erosion region 1o shown in FIG. . In reality, the distance between the object 5 and the target 2 is set so that the film thickness distribution falls within an allowable range, but the non-uniformity of the film thickness has not been completely eliminated.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to dramatically improve the utilization efficiency of the target and to improve the uniformity of the film thickness on the object to be film-formed.

Means to Solve the Problem The sputtering apparatus of the present invention has an N pole on the back of the cathode on which the sputtering target is attached.

A mechanism is provided on a belt-shaped magnet in which S poles are arranged alternately at predetermined intervals to form a loop, and the belt-shaped magnet is moved at a constant speed. Furthermore, the N pole and S pole of the belt-shaped magnet
The poles are arranged alternately at predetermined intervals perpendicular to the moving speed, and either the N or S poles are connected to the same poles at the belt side end.

The poles are arranged alternately at predetermined intervals along the direction of movement, and each pole is arranged continuously in a sinusoidal waveform.

Operation According to the above configuration, the belt-like magnet moves behind the cathode, that is, the positions of the north and south poles constantly change, so that the dense plasma ring on the sputtering target moves over the entire surface of the sputtering target. Therefore, no local erosion area occurs on the sputtering target, and the entire surface of the target is sputtered, so that the target utilization efficiency is dramatically improved. Further, as described above, the material spucked from the entire surface of the target flies to the object to be deposited, so that the uniformity of the film thickness is also very good.

Example Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the sputtering apparatus of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 show the arrangement of N and S poles on a bell-shaped magnet.

A sputtering target 12 is placed inside the vacuum chamber 11.
Attach the cathode 13. A substrate holder 17 for attaching a substrate 16 to be film-formed is installed, a gas path 19 for introducing gas into the vacuum chamber 11, and an exhaust system 18 from the vacuum chamber 11 are provided. Furthermore, mechanisms 15a to 15d are installed on the back side of the cathode 13 to move belt-shaped magnets 14 having N and S poles arranged alternately at predetermined intervals at a constant speed. The arrangement shape of the N pole and S pole on the belt-shaped magnet is as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 in the moving direction 2 of the belt-shaped magnet 14.
N poles and S poles are arranged alternately at predetermined intervals perpendicular to 1, or N poles and S poles are arranged alternately at predetermined intervals along the movement direction 21, and each polarity is set in the movement direction 21. On the other hand, it is arranged continuously in a sinusoidal waveform. When arranged in a sinusoidal manner, the distance W between the N and S poles is larger than the widths Ls and LN of the magnets of each polarity.

The effects of this embodiment are as follows.

As shown in the conventional example, if the magnet installed at the cathode is fixed or moves only a short distance, the erosion area will be limited, resulting in poor target utilization efficiency and poor film thickness distribution on the substrate to be deposited. It was occurring. Therefore, in the sputtering apparatus of the present invention, a belt-shaped magnet 14 with N and S poles arranged as shown in FIGS.
Since the target 3 is configured to move on the back surface of the target 12, the erosion area generated on the targets 1 to 12 corresponding to the north and south poles moves over the entire surface of the target 12.

As a result, sputtering is performed from the entire surface of the target, dramatically improving target usage efficiency. In addition, within the time it takes to form a film to a predetermined thickness on the film-forming substrate 16''2,
Since the erosion region corresponding to between the pole and the south pole (sputtered from this region and considered to be an evaporation source for vapor deposition) moves over the entire surface of the target, the film thickness on the substrate 16 on which the film is to be deposited becomes uniform.

Due to the above-described effects, it is possible to form a film with a uniform thickness on the film-forming substrate 16, and the target utilization efficiency is also dramatically improved.

Effects of the Invention The sputtering apparatus of the present invention can obtain a film to be deposited with a uniform thickness, which is effective in improving the small droplet size and quality of the film to be deposited, as well as dramatically increasing target usage efficiency. This reduces the number of target replacements and reduces the time spent on maintenance.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the sputtering apparatus of the present invention, FIGS. 2 and 3 are diagrams of the arrangement of N and S poles in a belt-shaped magnet used in the sputtering apparatus of the present invention, and FIG.
The figure is a schematic diagram of a conventional sputtering device, and FIG.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the erosion area on the target in the magnet arrangement of FIG. 5a. 11...Vacuum chamber, 12...Nuha no taring target, 13...Cathode, 1
4... Belt-shaped magnet, 15a-d... Belt-shaped magnet movement mechanism, 16... Film-forming substrate,
17... Board holder, 18... Exhaust system,
19...Introduction path, 20...Power supply, 21...Movement direction of the belt-shaped magnet. Name of agent Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and 1 other person
:ff : : : Miss♀Satsumi≧Cicada 8 ward Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A cathode for mounting a sputtering target and a substrate holder for mounting a substrate to be film-formed are provided in a vacuum chamber, and a belt-shaped magnet with N and S poles arranged alternately at predetermined intervals on the back of the cathode forms a loop. and a sputtering apparatus provided with a mechanism for moving the belt-shaped magnet at a constant speed. (2) N poles and S poles of the belt-shaped magnet are arranged alternately at predetermined intervals perpendicular to the moving direction of the belt-shaped magnet;
The sputtering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein either the N or S poles are connected to each other at the belt side end. (3) The N pole and the S pole of the belt-shaped magnet are arranged alternately at predetermined intervals along the moving direction of the belt-shaped magnet, and each pole is arranged continuously in a sine wave shape. sputtering equipment.