KR20140045195A - Sputtering apparatus and sputtering method using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A sputtering apparatus and a sputtering method using the same are disclosed. The disclosed sputtering apparatus includes a vacuum chamber in which a sputtering object and a target are respectively mounted, and a plurality of magnetic unit units which operate a magnetic field while being approached or spaced independently from the target. According to this structure, uniform deposition can be performed on the entire surface of the object, and even if uneven deposition is confirmed, the unit unit can be independently driven and corrections can be quickly and smoothly performed. Can stabilize the quality.

Description

Sputtering apparatus and sputtering method using the same {Sputtering apparatus and sputtering method using the same}

The present invention relates to a sputtering apparatus for performing a deposition operation using a magnetic field and a sputtering method using the same.

In general, a thin film transistor applied to a display device is manufactured through a deposition process using a magnetic field such as magnetron sputtering. That is, the prepared deposition target is sputtered while using a magnetic field to form a thin film of a desired pattern on the substrate of the display apparatus as the deposition target material.

However, in recent years, as the screen of the display device is gradually enlarged, it is increasingly difficult to perform uniform deposition on the entire surface of the object. If the deposition is not uniform, the brightness may not be constant on the screen of the display device, which is the final product, and the variation may be severely generated for each part. Therefore, there is a need for an improvement method for preventing such a problem.

Embodiments of the present invention provide an improved sputtering apparatus and a sputtering method using the same to stably implement uniform deposition on the entire surface of an object.

The sputtering apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a vacuum chamber to which a sputtering object and a target are respectively mounted, and a magnetic part forming a magnetic field on the target, wherein the magnetic part may independently approach and space away from the target. And a plurality of unit units disposed along the front surface of the target.

The unit unit may include a magnet and an actuator capable of independently approaching and separating both ends of the magnet from the target.

A support may be interposed between the magnet and the actuator.

The actuator may include a pair of driving cylinders respectively coupled to both ends of the support.

In addition, the sputtering method according to an embodiment of the present invention, the step of installing the sputtering object and the target to face each other in the vacuum chamber; Preparing a magnetic part having a plurality of unit units capable of independently approaching and separating from the target; And independently approaching and separating the plurality of unit units with respect to the target and forming a magnetic field around the target.

The unit unit may include a magnet and an actuator capable of independently approaching and separating both ends of the magnet from the target.

The actuator may further include inclining both ends of the magnet independently from the target, spaced apart from the target.

The actuator may include a pair of driving cylinders respectively coupled to both ends of the magnet.

Using the sputtering apparatus of the present invention as described above, it is possible to perform uniform deposition on the entire surface of the object, even if uneven deposition is confirmed, it is possible to quickly and smoothly perform the corrective action for it, It can stabilize the quality of the product.

1 is a plan view schematically showing the configuration of a sputtering apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a unit unit of a magnetic part of the sputtering apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1.
3A to 3C are diagrams illustrating the operation of the unit unit shown in FIG. 2.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 schematically illustrates the structure of a sputtering apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown, the sputtering apparatus of the present embodiment includes a deposition chamber 100 in which a substrate 10 as an object and a target 20 as a deposition source are installed to face each other, and a magnetic part forming a magnetic field in the target 20. 200) and the like.

In sputtering, as shown in FIG. 1, argon gas is supplied into the vacuum chamber 100, and discharge is caused by the target 20 as the cathode and the substrate 10 as the anode through the power supply 300. Then, argon ions are generated from the argon gas, and the argon ions collide with the target 20 to scatter the fine particles of the target 20, and the scattered fine particles are deposited on the substrate 10 to form a thin film. do. In addition, the magnetic part 200 forms a magnetic field to increase the sputtering speed due to the collision of argon ions.

Here, the magnetic unit 200 is provided with a plurality of unit units 210 that can be independently driven along the front surface of the target 20. That is, each unit unit 210 can independently drive and spaced apart relative to the target 20, it is configured to adjust the strength of the magnetic field for each portion of the target 20. In general, since the strength of the magnetic field varies according to the distance between the target 20 and the unit unit 210, by adjusting this, the sputtering conditions can be set differently for each part, thus forming a uniform deposition film on the substrate 10. Will be.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 2, each unit unit 210 of the magnetic part 200 includes a magnet 211 fixed to the support 212 and a pair of actuators 213a coupled to both ends of the support 212. ) 213b. Therefore, when the pair of actuators 213a and 213b are operated, the unit unit 210 approaches or is spaced apart from the target 20.

In addition, the unit unit 210 of the present embodiment may implement the tilt operation, as well as the approach and separation operation. That is, since the pair of actuators 213a and 213b are connected to both ends of the magnet 211 and the support 212, the tilting operation can be realized by driving the pair of actuators 213a and 213b differently. .

For example, as shown in FIG. 3A, when the two actuators 213a and 213b on both sides of the support 212 are equally driven, the magnets 211 of the unit unit 210 may have the same distance as the target 20. Access and separation actions are implemented while maintaining.

However, if the left actuator 213a is driven in the approaching direction and the right actuator 213b is driven in the separation direction, the tilting operation as shown in FIG. 3B is implemented.

On the contrary, when the left actuator 213a is driven in the separation direction and the right actuator 213b is driven in the approaching direction, a tilting operation as shown in FIG. 3C is implemented.

Therefore, if the magnetic part 200 having such a configuration is provided, the unit magnetic fields 210 may be driven independently with respect to the front surface of the target 20, so that the intensity of the partial magnetic field may be adjusted so that uniform deposition may be performed. It is convenient to control, and furthermore, since each unit unit 210 itself can adjust the magnetic field strength at both ends differently through a tilting operation, more precise control is possible.

For example, the above sputtering apparatus can be used as follows.

First, the substrate 10, which is the object to be deposited, and the target 20, which is the deposition source, are mounted in the vacuum chamber 100, respectively.

And, if there is no prior information, the magnetic unit 200 arranges each unit unit 210 so as to maintain a constant interval with respect to the target 20 as a whole, and if there is pre-arrangement information for uniform deposition, each unit accordingly Place units 210.

In this state, argon gas is injected into the vacuum chamber 100 and a voltage is applied from the power supply 300 to perform sputtering.

Subsequently, if a portion of which deposition is relatively found is found by checking the state of the deposited substrate, the actuators 213a and 213b are operated to narrow the interval between the unit unit 210 and the target 20 of the portion. Let's do it. Then, a stronger magnetic field acts on the site, and the deposition can be made thicker.

Therefore, by controlling the magnetic part 200 in this manner, it is possible to stably perform uniform deposition on the substrate 10.

Therefore, by using the sputtering device of this configuration, it is possible to perform uniform deposition on the entire surface of the object, and even if uneven deposition is confirmed, the corrective action can be performed quickly and smoothly. Can be stabilized.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, the true scope of the present invention should be determined by the technical idea of the appended claims.

100 ... vacuum chamber 110 ... substrate
200 ... Target Unit 210 ... Target
220 Magnets 221 Magnets
222 Supports 223a, 223b Actuators

Claims (8)

A vacuum chamber to which the sputtering object and the target are respectively mounted, and a magnetic part to form a magnetic field in the target,
The magnetic part may include a plurality of unit units disposed along the front surface of the target to independently approach and space the target.
The method according to claim 1,
The unit unit is a sputtering apparatus including a magnet and an actuator capable of independently approaching and separating both ends of the magnet with respect to the target.
3. The method of claim 2,
A sputtering apparatus having a support interposed between the magnet and the actuator.
The method of claim 3, wherein
And said actuator comprises a pair of drive cylinders coupled to both ends of said support, respectively.
Installing the sputtering object and the target to face each other in the vacuum chamber;
Preparing a magnetic part having a plurality of unit units capable of independently approaching and separating from the target; And
Sputtering method comprising the step of approaching and separating the plurality of unit units independently from the target and forming a magnetic field around the target.
6. The method of claim 5,
The unit unit is a sputtering method comprising a magnet and an actuator capable of independently approaching and separating both ends of the magnet with respect to the target.
The method according to claim 6,
Sputtering method comprising the step of placing the two sides of the magnet to the actuator independently approach, spaced apart and inclined with respect to the target.
The method of claim 7, wherein
And said actuator includes a pair of drive cylinders coupled to both ends of said magnet, respectively.

Images