Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.

Aes Global Holdings Pte Ltd.

David J Christie

Hendrik Walde

Richard A Scholl

Joshua Brian Pankratz

Brian D Kowal

Ken Nauman

Bruce Fries

Milan Zarko Ilic

Kenneth W Finley

Skip B Larson

Kalyan N C Siddabattula

Michael Kishinevsky

Dmitri Kovalevskii

Gerald C Roop, Jr

A system and method for single magnetron sputtering are described. One example includes a system having a power supply, a plasma chamber enclosing a substrate, an anode, and a target for depositing a thin film material on the substrate. This example also has a datastore with uncoated anode characterization data and an anode sputtering adjustment system including an anode analysis component to generate a first health value. The first health value is indicative of whether the anode is coated with a dielectric material. This example also has an anode power controller to receive the first health value and provide an anode-energy-control signal to the pulse controller of the pulsed DC power supply to adjust a second anode sputtering energy relative to a first anode sputtering energy to eject at least a portion of the dielectric material from the anode.

Systems and methods for single magnetron sputtering

A sputtering system and method are disclosed. The system has at least one dual magnetron pair having a first magnetron and a second magnetron, each magnetron configured to support target material. The system also has a DMS component having a DC power source in connection with switching components and voltage sensors. The DMS component is configured to independently control an application of power to each of the magnetrons, and to provide measurements of voltages at each of the magnetrons. The system also has one or more actuators configured to control the voltages at each of the magnetrons using the measurements provided by the DMS component. The DMS component and the one or more actuators are configured to balance the consumption of the target material by controlling the power and the voltage applied to each of the magnetrons, in response to the measurements of voltages at each of the magnetrons.

Method for balancing consumption of targets in pulsed dual magnetron sputtering (DMS) processes

System and method for balancing consumption of targets in pulsed dual magnetron sputtering (DMS) processes

Systems and methods for arc handling in plasma processing operations are disclosed. The method includes providing current with a power supply to a plasma load at a first voltage polarity and energizing an energy storage device so when it is energized, the energy storage device applies a reverse polarity voltage that has a magnitude that is as least as great as the first voltage polarity. When an arc is detected, power is applied from the energy storage device to the plasma load with a reverse polarity voltage that has a polarity that is opposite of the first voltage polarity, the application of the reverse polarity voltage to the plasma load decreases a level of the current that is provided to the plasma load.

Arc management with voltage reversal and improved recovery

An apparatus and methods for plasma-based sputtering deposition using a direct current power supply is disclosed. In one embodiment, a plasma is generated by connecting a plurality of electrodes to a supply of current, and a polarity of voltage applied to each of a plurality of electrodes in the processing chamber is periodically reversed so that at least one of the electrodes sputters material on to the substrate. And an amount of power that is applied to at least one of the plurality of electrodes is modulated so as to deposit the material on the stationary substrate with a desired characteristic. In some embodiments, the substrate is statically disposed in the chamber during processing. And many embodiments utilize feedback indicative of the state of the deposition to modulate the amount of power applied to one or more electrodes.

Methods and apparatus for sputtering using direct current

This disclosure describes a non-dissipative snubber circuit configured to boost a voltage applied to a load after the load's impedance rises rapidly. The voltage boost can thereby cause more rapid current ramping after a decrease in power delivery to the load which results from the load impedance rise. In particular, the snubber can comprise a combination of a unidirectional switch, a voltage multiplier, and a current limiter. In some cases, these components can be a diode, voltage doubler, and an inductor, respectively.

Differing boost voltages applied to two or more anodeless electrodes for plasma processing

Methods and apparatus for sputtering deposition using direct current

There is provided by this invention an apparatus and method for controlling a dc magnetron plasma processing system that automatically adjusts the control signal to the power supply based upon the dynamic impedance of the load to control the output power to the plasma. The output voltage and the output current of the power supply that supplies power to the plasma is sampled over at a sampling frequency at least four to five times higher than the switching frequency and the dynamic impedance of the plasma is calculated based upon the sampled voltage and current from the algorithm wherein &#x394;Vand &#x394;Iis the maximum difference among samples on one switching cycle. If the dynamic impedance seen is negative in nature then the control signal is compensated accordingly.

DC power supply utilizing real time estimation of dynamic impedance

There is provided by this invention novel magnetron sputtering apparatus that is generally comprised of a pulsed dc power supply capable of delivering peak powers of 0.1 megaWatts to several megaWatts with a peak power density greater than 1 kW/cm2. The power supply has a pulsing circuit comprised of an energy storage capacitor and serially connected inductor with a switching means for disconnecting the pulsing circuit from the plasma and recycling the inductor energy back to the energy storage capacitor at the detection of an arc condition. The energy storage capacitor and the serially connected inductor provide an impedance match to the plasma, limits the current rate of rise and peak magnitude in the event of an arc, and shapes the voltage pulses to the plasma.

High peak power plasma pulsed supply with arc handling

There is provided by this invention an apparatus and method for generating voltage pulses to first and second magnetron devices in a plasma chamber. An isolation transformer is connected to a pulsed DC power supply having a flux sensor, such as a Hall effect sensor, in close proximity to its air gap to monitor the transformer flux. A control circuit is connected to the flux sensor to control the duty cycle of the transformer by controlling the flux of the transformer such that the maximum and minimum peak transformer fluxes are equal in magnitude and opposite in sign to prevent saturation.

Power supply with flux-controlled transformer

Current controlled power sources are disclosed that are capable of generating currents in low resistance, high temperature plasmas that are regulated to prevent the generation of excessive currents in the plasma. Current reversing switches are provided that control the flow of a direct current in a plasma chamber between various electrodes. Multiple power sources are provided in association with shunt switches for delivering a plurality of sources of direct current in various directions between electrodes in a plasma chamber. Inductive impedance can be provided in switch paths to cause a source of direct current to flow through a plasma chamber in various directions between electrodes.

Plasma generator pulsed direct current supply in a bridge configuration

Various embodiments of a power supply are disclosed for generating plasmas. Current controlled power sources are disclosed that are capable of generating currents in low resistance, high temperature plasmas that are regulated to prevent the generation of excessive currents in the plasma. Current reversing switches are provided that control the flow of a direct current in a plasma chamber between various electrodes. A single current controlled power source capable of providing a substantially constant direct current can be utilized with various switch configurations to provide current that is delivered through three or more electrodes in a plasma chamber. Multiple power sources are also provided in association with shunt switches for delivering a plurality of sources of direct current in various directions between electrodes in a plasma chamber. In another embodiment of the present invention, inductive impedance can be provided in switch paths to cause a source of direct current to flow through a plasma chamber in various directions between electrodes. The use of multiple electrodes in association with a single voltage controlled power source is also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Fort Collins, CO, United States of America

David J Christie