Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
  • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
  • C23C14/00—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
  • C23C14/22—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the process of coating
  • C23C14/34—Sputtering
  • C23C14/35—Sputtering by application of a magnetic field, e.g. magnetron sputtering
  • C23C14/352—Sputtering by application of a magnetic field, e.g. magnetron sputtering using more than one target
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
  • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
  • C23C14/00—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
  • C23C14/22—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the process of coating
  • C23C14/34—Sputtering
  • C23C14/3464—Sputtering using more than one target
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
  • H01J37/00—Discharge tubes with provision for introducing objects or material to be exposed to the discharge, e.g. for the purpose of examination or processing thereof
  • H01J37/32—Gas-filled discharge tubes
  • H01J37/34—Gas-filled discharge tubes operating with cathodic sputtering
  • H01J37/3402—Gas-filled discharge tubes operating with cathodic sputtering using supplementary magnetic fields
  • H01J37/3405—Magnetron sputtering
  • H01J37/3408—Planar magnetron sputtering
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
  • H01J37/00—Discharge tubes with provision for introducing objects or material to be exposed to the discharge, e.g. for the purpose of examination or processing thereof
  • H01J37/32—Gas-filled discharge tubes
  • H01J37/34—Gas-filled discharge tubes operating with cathodic sputtering
  • H01J37/3411—Constructional aspects of the reactor
  • H01J37/3444—Associated circuits

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a sputtering apparatus capable of forming a film on the surface of a processing substrate, and more particularly to a sputtering apparatus using an AC power source.
• ions in a plasma atmosphere are accelerated and bombarded toward a target formed in a predetermined shape according to the composition of a film to be deposited on the surface of a processing substrate, and target atoms are scattered.
• a thin film is formed on the surface of the processing substrate.
• a glow discharge is generated between the force sword electrode and the anode electrode or the earth electrode by applying a voltage to the target, which is a force sword electrode, via a sputtering power source such as a DC power source or an AC power source.
• a stable discharge can be obtained by applying an opposite phase voltage to cancel the charge accumulated on the force sword surface.
• a pair of targets are arranged in a vacuum chamber, and a voltage is alternately applied to the pair of targets at a predetermined frequency via an AC power source, and each target is connected to an anode electrode.
• a force sword electrode to generate a glow discharge between the anode electrode and the force sword electrode to form a plasma atmosphere and to sputter each target (for example, Patent Document 1).
• Patent Document 1 International Publication WO2003Z14410 (for example, refer to Claim 1).
• an AC power supply having an oscillation unit for outputting (power-on) AC power to a pair of targets is used.
• the AC power source and each target are connected via a known AC power cable formed by twisting a number of conductive wires, for example.
• the effective cross-sectional area of the conductor decreases and the alternating current resistance increases and the conductor loss increases as the frequency of the alternating current power source increases.
• the source power easily causes a loss of input power to the pair of targets, and the power waveform of the input power to the pair of targets is likely to be disturbed due to the influence of noise. This becomes more prominent as the distance between the installation location of the main body of the sputtering apparatus and the installation location of the AC power source becomes longer, and as a result, there is a problem that power cannot be input accurately to a pair of targets.
• the present invention provides a sputtering apparatus capable of accurately supplying power without depending on the distance between the installation location of the sputtering apparatus main body and the installation location of the AC power supply. For the purpose.
• a sputtering apparatus of the present invention includes a pair of targets provided in a vacuum chamber, and an alternating current that applies a voltage to the pair of targets by alternately changing the polarity at a predetermined frequency.
• the AC power supply is divided into a power supply unit that enables power supply and an oscillation unit that includes an oscillation switch circuit connected to the power line of the power supply unit power. This oscillation unit and each target are connected by a bus bar.
• the power supply unit and the oscillation unit are configured separately, only the oscillation unit that outputs AC power is maintained at a constant short distance from the pair of targets. Can be placed.
• the oscillating portion and each target are connected by a bus bar, a large current can flow without being affected by the skin effect that the surface area of the portion where the alternating current flows is large.
• the AC power can also be input to a pair of targets with high accuracy. .
• the bus bar has its surface covered with a thin film of Au or Ag, only the portion where the alternating current flows is made of a material with high conductivity when the alternating current is applied. Thus, it may be possible to reduce the cost.
• bus bar is extendable and retractable, an error in the distance between the oscillating portion and the target can be absorbed when the bus bar is attached, and the bus bar can be attached easily.
• the distance between the oscillation unit that outputs AC power and each target is set to a certain short distance.
• the casing of the oscillation unit may be attached to the outer wall of the vacuum chamber.
• a plurality of pairs of targets are arranged in parallel in the vacuum chamber, and an AC power supply is provided for each pair of targets, and a magnetic flux is formed in front of each target, behind each target.
• the AC power supply power can be applied to each pair of targets with high accuracy. Good film formation is possible by sputtering evenly.
• each target may be eroded evenly.
• the sputtering apparatus of the present invention can power on a target with high accuracy and is not easily affected by a loss of input power or noise, and an expensive AC power supply cable is not required. If the cost can be reduced, the effect is achieved.
• the sputtering apparatus 1 is an in-line type using an AC power source so that a stable discharge can be obtained by applying an opposite phase voltage to cancel charges accumulated on the target surface described later.
• the sputtering apparatus 1 has a vacuum chamber 11 that can be maintained at a predetermined degree of vacuum via vacuum exhausting means (not shown) such as a rotary pump and a turbo molecular pump.
• a substrate transfer means is provided in the upper part of the vacuum chamber 11.
• This substrate transport means has a known structure, and has, for example, a carrier 2 on which the process substrate S is mounted. The process substrate S can be sequentially transported to a position facing the target by intermittently driving the drive means.
• the vacuum chamber 11 is provided with gas introduction means 3.
• the gas introduction means 3 communicates with a gas source 33 through a gas pipe 32 provided with a mass flow controller 31, and is used for a sputtering gas such as Ar or O, H 0, H, N used for reactive sputtering.
• Reactive gas such as
• a cathode electrode C is disposed under the vacuum chamber 11!
• the force sword electrode C has a pair of targets 41a and 41b arranged to face the processing substrate S.
• Each target 41a, 41b is made by a known method according to the composition of the thin film to be deposited on the processing substrate S, such as Al, Ti, Mo, ITO, etc., and is substantially rectangular (rectangular in top view). Is formed.
• Each target 41a, 41b is bonded to a backing plate 42 that cools the target 41a, 4 lb during sputtering through a bonding material such as indium tin, and is attached to the frame of the force sword electrode C through an insulating material (not shown). It is mounted and placed in a floating state in the vacuum chamber 11.
• a bonding material such as indium tin
• the targets 41a and 41b are arranged side by side so that the sputter surfaces 411 when not in use are positioned on the same plane parallel to the processing substrate S, and the opposite side surfaces 412 of the targets 41a and 41b face each other. No components such as an anode and a shield are provided between them.
• the outer dimensions of the targets 41a and 41b are set to be larger than the outer dimensions of the processing substrate S when the targets 41a and 41b are arranged side by side.
• the force sword electrode C is equipped with a magnet assembly 5 positioned behind each of the targets 41a and 41b.
• the magnet assembly 5 includes a support plate 51 provided in parallel to the targets 41a and 41b.
• the support plate 51 is composed of a rectangular flat plate that is smaller than the width of each of the targets 41a and 41b and is formed so as to extend on both sides along the longitudinal direction of the targets 41a and 41b. Is made of a magnetic material.
• rod-shaped central magnets 52 along the longitudinal direction of the targets 41a and 41b and peripheral magnets 53 provided along the outer periphery of the support plate 51 are provided with alternating polarities. Yes.
• an AC power source E is provided so that a voltage can be applied to the pair of targets 41a and 41b by alternately changing the polarity at a predetermined frequency (1 to 400 KHz).
• the AC power supply E is divided into the power supply unit 6 that can supply power and the oscillation unit 7 that alternately changes the polarity at a predetermined frequency and outputs a voltage to each of the targets 41a and 41b.
• the casing 70 of the oscillation unit 7 is attached to the bottom wall of the vacuum chamber 11, and the oscillation unit 7 and each target 41a, 41b are connected by a bus bar 8 having a predetermined length as will be described later. did.
• the waveform of the output voltage is a sine wave, but is not limited to this, and may be, for example, a square wave.
• the power supply unit 6 has a box-shaped casing 60.
• a first CPU circuit 61 that controls the operation thereof and commercial AC power are provided. (Three-phase AC 200 V or 400 V) is input 62 and six diodes 63 that rectify the input AC power and convert it to DC power, and connect DC power lines 64a and 64b. It serves to output DC power to the oscillator 7 via
• a switching transistor 65 is provided between the DC power lines 64a and 64b, and is connected to the first CPU circuit 61 so as to be communicable.
• the first driver circuit controls on / off of the switching transistor 65.
• 66a and a first PMW control circuit 66b are provided.
• a detection circuit 67a and an AD conversion circuit 67b that have a current detection sensor and a voltage detection transformer and detect the current and voltage between the DC power lines 64a and 64b are provided, and the detection circuit 67a and the AD conversion circuit 67b are provided. Via the CPU circuit 61.
• the oscillating unit 7 has a box-shaped housing 70 and is attached to the outer wall on the lower side of the vacuum chamber 11.
• the casing 70 there are four second CPU circuits 71 communicably connected to the first CPU circuit 61 and four switch circuits 72 constituting an oscillation switch circuit 72 provided between the DC power lines 64a and 64b.
• the first to fourth switching transistors 72a, 72b, 72c, 72d and the second CPU circuit 71 are communicatively connected to each other and control the on / off of the switching transistors 72a, 72b, 72c, 72d.
• the driver circuit 73a and the second PMW control circuit 73b are provided.
• the second driver circuit 73a and the second PMW control circuit 73b turn on, for example, the first and fourth switching transistors 72a and 72d and the second and third switching transistors 72b and 72c.
• Each switching transistor so that the OFF timing is reversed
• sinusoidal AC power can be output via the AC power lines 74a, 74b from the oscillation switch circuit 72.
• a detection circuit 75a and an AD conversion circuit 75b for detecting an oscillation voltage and an oscillation current are provided and input to the second CPU circuit 71 via the detection circuit 75a and the AD conversion circuit 75b.
• the AC power lines 74a and 74b are connected to an output transformer 76 having a known structure via a resonance LC circuit in series or parallel or a combination thereof, and output terminals 76a and 76b from the output transformer 76;
• a pair of targets 41a and 41b are connected by a bus bar 8.
• a detection circuit 77a and an AD conversion circuit 77b are provided, which have a current detection sensor and a voltage detection transformer, and detect the output voltage and output current to the pair of targets 41a and 41b, and the detection circuit 77a and the AD conversion circuit 77b.
• a constant voltage can be applied to the pair of targets 41a and 41b by alternately changing the polarity at a constant frequency via the AC power source E.
• the output from the detection circuit 77a is connected to a detection circuit 78a that detects the output phase and frequency of the output voltage and output current, and the output phase frequency control is connected to the detection circuit 78a so as to be communicable.
• the phase and frequency of the output voltage and output current are input to the second CPU circuit 71 via the circuit 78b.
• the control signal from the second CPU circuit 71 controls the on / off of each switching transistor 72a, 72b, 72c, 73d of the oscillation switch circuit 72 by the second driver circuit 73a, and the output voltage and output It can be controlled so that the phases of the currents are approximately the same.
• the bus bar 8 is configured by connecting attachment portions 81 and 82 to both sides of a plate-like central portion 81 via fastening means including a bolt B and a nut N, respectively.
• the central portion 81 and the mounting portions 82 and 83 preferably constitute the same material force with high conductivity, and are made of, for example, Cu, Au, Ag, or an aluminum alloy.
• the surface area and the plate thickness of the central portion 81 are the material of the plate material constituting the central portion 81, the input power to the targets 41a and 41b when the film is formed using the sputtering apparatus 1, and the AC power.
• the mounting parts 82 and 83 are In consideration of the attachment to the output terminals 76a and 76b provided on the output side of the output transformer 76 of the oscillating unit 7 and the respective targets 4la and 41b, a plate material wider than the plate material of the central part 81 is approximately Z in cross-sectional view.
• two through holes 81a, 82b, 83b are formed at both ends of the central portion 81 and the other ends of the mounting portions 82, 83, respectively, and the through holes 81a, 82b, 83b are moved up and down.
• the through hole 82b of one mounting portion 82 is formed as a long hole so that the length of the bus bar 8 itself can be adjusted according to the distance between the output terminals 76a, 76b and the targets 41a, 41b.
• the bus bar 8 is made extendable. Thereby, the error of the space
• the processing substrate S is transported to a position opposed to the pair of targets 41 a and 41 b by the substrate transporting means, and a predetermined sputtering gas is introduced through the gas introducing means 3.
• An AC voltage is applied to the pair of targets 41a and 41b via the AC power source E, and the targets 41a and 41b are alternately switched between the anode electrode and the force sword electrode, and a glow discharge is generated between the anode electrode and the force sword electrode.
• ions in the plasma atmosphere are accelerated and bombarded toward one of the targets 41a and 41b that have become force sword electrodes, and target atoms are scattered to form a thin film on the surface of the processing substrate S.
• the magnet assembly 5 is provided with driving means such as a motor (not shown).
• driving means such as a motor (not shown).
• the steps allow the target 41a and 41b to reciprocate in parallel and at a constant speed between two positions along the horizontal direction so that the erosion area can be evenly distributed over the entire surface of the target 41a and 41b. .
• the bus bar 8 has a force described for the structure in which the two mounting portions 82 and 83 are connected to both sides of the central portion 81.
• the force is not limited to this, and is integrally manufactured. May be.
• it is made of a material with high conductivity, when AC power is applied, only the part where the AC current flows is made of a material with high conductivity such as Au or Ag. Cover it with a thin film of Au or Ag to reduce costs!
• the force described for the pair of targets 41a and 41b provided in the vacuum chamber 11 is not limited to this.
• a plurality of targets 41a to 41f are arranged in parallel, and AC power sources E1 to E3 having the same structure are assigned to the targets 41a to 41f adjacent to each other, and a plurality of pairs are connected via the AC power sources El, E2, and E3.
• the present invention can also be applied to a structure in which a sputtering apparatus is configured so that power can be input to the targets 41a to 41f. In this case, the power that causes AC power to be applied to each target 41a to 41f from different AC power sources E1 to E3.
• Each AC power source E1 to E3 can accurately power each pair of targets 41a to 41f. Therefore, the targets 41a to 41f can be evenly sputtered to form a good film.
• FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a sputtering apparatus of the present invention.
• FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an AC power supply.
• FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the configuration of the bus bar.
• FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating a modification of the sputtering apparatus of the present invention.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
• Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Materials Engineering (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Metallurgy (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Physical Vapour Deposition (AREA)
• Plasma Technology (AREA)

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Citations (4)

• 2006
  • 2006-01-11 JP JP2006003445A patent/JP4320019B2/ja active Active
• 2007
  • 2007-01-11 CN CN2007800022085A patent/CN101370958B/zh active Active
  • 2007-01-11 KR KR1020087016806A patent/KR101018652B1/ko active Active
  • 2007-01-11 TW TW096101144A patent/TWI390065B/zh active
  • 2007-01-11 WO PCT/JP2007/050201 patent/WO2007080906A1/ja active Application Filing

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