KR20160089952A

KR20160089952A - Cylindrical Sputtering Cathode

Info

Publication number: KR20160089952A
Application number: KR1020150009502A
Authority: KR
Inventors: 김경국; 김동준; 김택균; 조하나; 김소현; 이병길; 김환삼
Original assignee: 한국산업기술대학교산학협력단; (주) 누리베큠
Priority date: 2015-01-20
Filing date: 2015-01-20
Publication date: 2016-07-29

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sputtering target comprising a cylindrical sputtering target 10, a magnet 20 disposed in the sputtering target 10 in the longitudinal direction of the sputtering target 10 and forming a magnetic field, And the magnet 20 has an opposing face 22 facing the inner circumferential face of the sputtering target 10 with a gap G therebetween and the opposing face 22 corresponds to the inner periphery of the sputtering target 10 Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > a < / RTI > cylindrical sputtering cathode.

Description

Cylindrical Sputtering Cathode < RTI ID = 0.0 >

The present invention relates to a cathode used for sputtering, which is a type of vacuum deposition.

Sputtering is performed by accelerating a gas such as argon (Ar) ionized in a vacuum atmosphere (which may be a relatively low degree of vacuum) to impinge on a sputtering target and ejecting target particles (atoms) .

The sputtering apparatus for carrying out the sputtering process includes a chamber for providing a processing space in a vacuum atmosphere, a supporting unit for supporting an object to be deposited (which may be a substrate) brought into a processing space of the chamber, And a sputtering cathode disposed so as to face each other with an interval therebetween.

The sputtering cathode includes a sputtering target. Sputtering cathodes that are being applied to sputtering equipment are divided into a planar sputtering cathode and a cylindrical sputtering cathode.

In the planar sputtering cathode, electrons are confined in the region where the electric field and the magnetic field are orthogonal to each other. As the density is increased, electrons are accelerated to the greatest energy, and plasma is formed around the region where the electric field and the magnetic field are orthogonal. As a result, the sputtering target of the planar sputtering cathode causes erosion only in the plasma forming region. When a long time elapses, other portions of the sputtering target remain, but all of the sputtering targets are eroded only in the plasma forming region . Therefore, the flat sputtering cathode has a problem that the sputtering target is inefficiently used.

The cylindrical sputtering cathodes allow the sputtering process to be performed by the same principle as the planar sputtering cathodes. However, since the sputtering target rotates with the magnet and the yoke fixed to the inside of the sputtering target, even if the plasma is generated only in a partial region, the outer periphery of the sputtering target is entirely eroded, It can be used very efficiently. Accordingly, in recent years, the application of the cylindrical sputtering cathode is more preferred.

1 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional cylindrical sputtering cathode. As shown in FIG. 1, a typical cylindrical sputtering cathode includes a cylindrical sputtering target 100, a plurality of magnets 200 positioned within the sputtering target 100 And a yoke 300 for supporting and fixing the magnet 200.

The magnets 200 are formed to have a linear structure and are arranged to be parallel to the longitudinal direction of the sputtering target 100. Further, the magnets 200 are arranged in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the sputtering target 100.

Since the general cylindrical sputtering cathode has a linear structure, the magnetic field generation range is narrower than the size and the occupied area of the magnet 200, which limits the efficiency of the sputtering process.

Korean Registered Patent No. 10-1062890 (issued on September 7, 2011) Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2013-0067623 (published on June 25, 2013) Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2013-0136856 (published Dec. 13, 2013)

Embodiments of the present invention aim to provide a more advantageous cylindrical sputtering cathode in terms of compacting and improving the efficiency of the sputtering process.

The problems to be solved are not limited thereto, and other matters not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a sputtering target comprising: a cylindrical sputtering target (10) having a hollow; A magnet 20 disposed in the sputtering target 10 in the longitudinal direction of the sputtering target 10 and forming a magnetic field; And a magnet supporting unit 30 for supporting the magnet 20. The magnet 20 has an opposing face 22 facing the inner circumferential face of the sputtering target 10 with a gap G therebetween, A cylindrical sputtering cathode may be provided in which the surface 22 is formed to have a curvature corresponding to the inner periphery of the sputtering target 10. [

Here, the magnet 20 may be formed in a curved arc shape corresponding to the inner circumference of the sputtering target 10.

In addition, the magnet 20 may be disposed to extend over a range of 90 to 180 degrees around the center of the sputtering target 10.

Means for solving the problems will be more specifically and clarified through the embodiments, drawings, and the like described below. In addition, various solution means other than the above-mentioned solution means may be further proposed.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, due to the size of a magnet having a curvature corresponding to the inner circumference of the sputtering target, the magnitude of the magnet, and the magnetic field generation range relatively widened with respect to the occupied area of the magnet with respect to the sputtering target inner space, The deposition area can be increased without increasing the deposition rate, the deposition rate can be increased, and the deposition rate and the uniformity level can be further improved. Thus, the efficiency of the sputtering process can be greatly improved.

1 is a cross-sectional view of a typical cylindrical sputtering cathode.
FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views showing cylindrical sputtering cathodes according to an embodiment of the present invention viewed from different directions. FIG.
4 is a cross-sectional view of a cylindrical sputtering cathode according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. For a better understanding of the invention, it is to be understood that the size of elements and the thickness of lines may be exaggerated for clarity of understanding. Further, the terms used to describe the embodiments of the present invention are mainly defined in consideration of the functions of the present invention, and thus may be changed depending on the intentions and customs of the user and the operator. Therefore, the terminology should be interpreted based on the contents of the present specification throughout.

The cylindrical sputtering cathode according to the present invention can be applied to a sputtering apparatus that performs a sputtering process.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views showing cylindrical sputtering cathodes according to an embodiment of the present invention viewed from different directions. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cylindrical sputtering cathode according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 to 4, a cylindrical sputtering cathode according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a cylindrical sputtering target 10 having a hollow formed along its longitudinal direction, a sputtering target 10 having a sputtering target 10 inside the sputtering target 10, A plurality of magnets 20 arranged in the longitudinal direction and a magnet holding unit 30 for holding the positions of the magnets 20 by supporting the magnets 20 in the sputtering target 10.

The sputtering target 10 includes a backing tube having a hollow and open at both ends thereof, a target material having a predetermined thickness on the outer surface of the backing tube, a closing member (not shown) covering both open ends of the backing tube Not shown).

Such a sputtering target 10 is rotatably applied to the sputtering equipment about the center and is rotated by the target drive unit. For reference, in the target drive unit, power is connected to a bearing in which a drive shaft is connected to the sputtering target 10 and a drive shaft is supported, and power is supplied to the sputtering target 10 through the bearing of the target drive unit and the drive shaft .

Magnets 20 form the magnetic field used in the sputtering process. The magnets 20 are arranged adjacent to each other along the inner circumferential direction of the sputtering target 10. As the magnets 20, two S-pole permanent magnets arranged on both sides of one N pole permanent magnet and N pole permanent magnet can be applied.

Each of the magnets 20 has a facing surface 22 facing the inner circumferential surface of the sputtering target 10 with a gap G therebetween. These opposing surfaces 22 are formed to have a curvature corresponding to the inner circumference of the sputtering target 10 so that the gap G between the inner circumferential surface of the sputtering target 10 and the magnets 20 is formed to have a constant size. At this time, the clearance G is preferably 2 mm.

Preferably, the magnets 20 are permanent magnets of a planar structure formed in an arc having a curvature corresponding to the inner periphery of the sputtering target 10. [ More preferably, the magnets 20 are provided so as to span an angular range (A) of 90 to 180 degrees about the center of the sputtering target 10.

The magnet support unit 30 includes a shaft member 32 disposed at the center of the sputtering target 10 in the longitudinal direction of the sputtering target 10, a support member 34 for supporting the magnets 20, ) To the shaft member (32).

The shaft member 32 may be coupled with the sputtering target 10 through a means that performs the same or similar function as a bearing or a bearing so that the sputtering target 10 remains stationary .

The support member 34 can be formed such that the supporting surface for supporting the magnets 20 has a curvature corresponding to the inner periphery of the sputtering target 10. [ It is preferable that grooves are formed on the support surface of the support member 34 so that the magnets 20 are partly or wholly embedded.

The fastening means 36 may include a clamping block coupled to the support member 34 with the shaft member 32 wrapped around it. The clamping block may be coupled to the support member 34 by bolts or the like.

On the other hand, the shaft member 32 may have a cooling flow passage through which the cooling fluid flows. The cooling passage may be provided along the longitudinal direction of the shaft member 32 in the shaft member 32.

The cylindrical sputtering cathode according to the embodiment of the present invention having the structure as described has a planar structure of magnets 20 having an opposing face 22 formed to have a curvature corresponding to the inner periphery of the sputtering target 10, 20 and the magnetic field generating range relatively larger than the occupied area of the magnets 20 with respect to the inner space of the sputtering target 10, the deposition area can be increased without increasing the volume, the deposition rate can be increased, And the level of uniformity can be further improved. Thus, the efficiency of the sputtering process can be largely improved.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, 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 invention.

Further, the technical ideas described in the embodiments of the present invention may be performed independently of each other, or two or more may be implemented in combination with each other.

10: sputtering target
20: Magnet
22: facing face of the magnet
30: Magnet support unit
A: Angle range with magnet
G: Clearance between the inner circumferential surface of the sputtering target and the magnet

Claims

A cylindrical sputtering target (10) having a hollow;
A magnet 20 disposed in the sputtering target 10 in the longitudinal direction of the sputtering target 10 and forming a magnetic field;
And a magnet supporting unit (30) for supporting the magnet (20)
The magnet 20 has an opposing surface 22 facing the inner circumferential surface of the sputtering target 10 with a gap G therebetween and the opposing surface 22 has a curvature corresponding to the inner circumference of the sputtering target 10 Lt; / RTI >
Cylindrical sputtering cathodes.

The method according to claim 1,
The magnet 20 is formed in a shape of arc having a curvature corresponding to the inner periphery of the sputtering target 10,
Cylindrical sputtering cathodes.

The method according to claim 1 or 2,
The magnet 20 is disposed so as to extend over a range of 90 to 180 degrees around the center of the sputtering target 10,
Cylindrical sputtering cathodes.