Applied Materials, Inc.

Leybold-heraeus Gmbh

Leybold Aktiengesellschaft

Balzers Aktiengesellschaft

Applied Materials Gmbh & Co Kg

Applied Films Gmbh & Co.

Hans Georg Wolf

John M White

Shinichi Kurita

Suhail Anwar

Makoto Inagawa

Dong-Kil Yim

Jozef Kudela

Jörg Krempel-Hesse

Ikuo Mori

Andreas Jischke

Dennis Zvalo

Wolf-Dieter Munz

Uwe Schüssler

Reiner Hinterschuster

Oliver Heimel

Uwe Schüβler

Ralph Lindenberg

Herbert Nahring

Jurgen Mulderer

Guenter Kemmerer

Guenther Kemmerer

Uwe SCHÜßLER

Andre Brüning

Frank Fuchs

The present invention generally relates to a vertical CVD system having a processing chamber that is capable of processing multiple substrates. The multiple substrates are disposed on opposite sides of the processing source within the processing chamber, yet the processing environments are not isolated from each other. The processing source is a horizontally centered vertical plasma generator that permits multiple substrates to be processed simultaneously on either side of the plasma generator, yet independent of each other. The system is arranged as a twin system whereby two identical processing lines, each with their own processing chamber, are arranged adjacent to each other. Multiple robots are used to load and unload the substrates from the processing system. Each robot can access both processing lines within the system.

Vertical inline CVD system

To be able to realize a relatively wide magnetron sputter cathode, it is proposed that on the vacuum side of a carrier () is disposed the sputter target () with a backing plate (), which maintains a gap () from the carrier (). The backing plate () is developed as a cooling plate. In it are located cooling means channels (), which, via an inlet () through the carrier (), are supplied with cooling fluid, which can flow out again via an outlet () through the carrier (). On the atmospheric side is located a magnet configuration ().

Magnetron sputter cathode

Claimed is a sputtering target system comprising a plurality of backing plates to be individually cooled. Each backing plate is provided on its back side with a meandering groove that is closed off by a sealing plate. The sealing plate is welded around its circumference to the backing plate and at the same time is welded to at least one ridge located at a distance from the frame, which separates two grooved sections from one another. The sealing plate thus welded to the backing plate not only closes off the grooves to form a cooling channel, but also is used for reinforcement of the otherwise relatively flat backing plate.

Cooled backing plate for a sputtering target, and sputtering target comprising a plurality of backing plates

A device for transporting substrates through a vacuum system has a flat, parallel piped, plate-shaped substrate holder with upper and lower holder areas that are moveable in a vertical position along a transport path through the system. The upper part of the substrate holder is supported without contact and is movably guided by a magnetic arrangement.

Transport device for workpieces in a vacuum system

A substrate carrier plate (17, 17a) designed to hold at least one substrate is removably attached to a support element (19, 19a) of a base (2). The carrier plate is held to the support element (19, 19a) at least at one point by a centering pin (22, 23; 22a, 23a), which projects from the plate of the support element (19) and fits into a hole (24, 25) in the substrate carrier plate (17), and at least at one other point by a clamping device (18, 18a). The clamping device (18, 18a) is held on a control part (11) on the base (2) in such a way that it can be moved by the displacement of an actuating arm (21) between a clamping position and a release position, and it is also provided with a tensioning roller (14), which is supported on a ramp (15, 15a) on the substrate carrier plate (17). The substrate carrier plate (17) has an opening (20, 20a) to allow the passage of the tensioning roller (14), the tensioning roller (14, 14a) being located behind this opening when in its release position. A kickover spring (9) holds the tensioning rollers (14, 14a) under pretension in one stable position when in the tensioning position and under pretension in another stable position when in the release position.

Transport device for substrates to be coated in a vacuum coating system

In an apparatus for the production of coatings with a uniform thickness profile on substrates by cathode sputtering, a substrate carriage held and guided between wheels is provided, which can be moved through the coating chamber, and which has on its side facing the cathode rotatably mounted substrate disks whose axes of rotation are each disposed transversely of the plane of movement of the substrate carriage. On the side of the substrate carriage facing away from the cathode, motor-driven shafts equipped with permanent magnets are journaled in the coating chamber with their longitudinal axes extending in a plane parallel to the plane of movement of the substrate carriage, and they produce a disk current in rotor disks which are affixed co-rotationally to the substrate disks. As a result of the disk current, the rotor disks, and with them the substrate disks, are set in rotation as they pass by the shafts.

Apparatus for the production of coatings with a uniform thickness

The invention concerns an array of cathodes for sputtering apparatus that contains first, a target plate made out of the material to be sputtered, second, a system of magnets with poles of opposite signs positioned behind the target plate so that at least some of the lines of magnetic force emerging from the poles pass through and reenter the target plate, and third, a device that can be adjusted to alter the relative positions of the magnets and the target plate. The array is also set up so that at least some of the magnetic lines of force run from the poles through the target plate and back. The purpose of maintaining largely constant sputtering conditions as the target plate is consumed is achieved in accordance with the invention by moving the adjusting device essentially perpendicular to the largest surface of the target plate.

Method and means for controlling sputtering apparatus

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Erlensee, Germany

Hans Georg Wolf