Applied Materials, Inc.

James H Tsung

Peijun Ding

Ilyoung R Hong

Daniel Clarence Lubben

Arvind Sundarrajan

Nirmalya Maity

Richard Hong

Gunnar Vatvedt

Barry Lee Chin

Michael A Miller

Alan Liu

Darryl Angelo

Chien-Shiung Tzou

A small magnet assembly having a magnet assembly of area less than 10% of the target area, is scanned in a retrograde planetary or epicyclic path about the back of a target being plasma sputtered including an orbital rotation about the center axis of the target and a planetary rotation about another axis rotating about the target center axis. The magnet assembly passes through the target center, thus allowing full target coverage. A properly chosen ratio of the two rotations about respective axes produces a much slower magnet velocity near the target periphery than at the target center. A geared planetary mechanism includes a rotating drive plate, a fixed center gear, and an idler and a follower gear rotatably supported in the drive plane supporting a cantilevered magnet assembly on the side of the drive plate facing the target.

Small scanned magentron

A small magnet assembly is scanned in a retrograde planetary or epicyclic path about the back of a target being plasma sputtered including an orbital rotation about the center axis of the target and a planetary rotation about another axis rotating about the target center axis. The magnet assembly passes through the target center, thus allowing full target coverage. A properly chosen ratio of the two rotations about respective axes produces a much slower magnet velocity near the target periphery than at the target center. A geared planetary mechanism includes a rotating drive plate, a fixed center gear, and an idler and a follower gear rotatably supported in the drive plane supporting a cantilevered magnet assembly on the side of the drive plate facing the target. A belted planetary mechanism includes a fixed center capstan, a follower pulley supporting the magnet assembly, and a belt wrapped around them.

Magnetron executing planetary motion adjacent a sputtering target

A small unbalanced magnet assembly is scanned in a retrograde planetary or epicyclic path about the back of a target being plasma sputtered including an orbital rotation about the center axis of the target and a planetary rotation about another axis rotating about the target center axis. The magnet assembly may pass through the target center, thus allowing full target coverage. A geared planetary mechanism may include a rotating drive plate, a fixed center gear, and an idler and a follower gear rotatably supported in the drive plate supporting a cantilevered magnet assembly on the side of the drive plate facing the target. The erosion profile may be controlled by varying the rotation rate through the rotation cycle or by modulating the target power. A second planetary stage may be added or non-circular gears be used. Auxiliary electromagnetic coils may create a focusing magnetic field.

Small epicyclic magnetron with controlled radial sputtering profile

Small planetary magnetron

A method and apparatus for forming a coating on a sputter chamber workpiece. The apparatus generally includes a sputter chamber having at least one workpiece. The at least one workpiece generally includes one or more trenches formed therein, the trenches being configured to define an arc spray coating region. The method generally includes forming one or more trenches in the workpiece, the trenches defining a coating region and applying a metal coating to the coating region by arc spraying.

Design of hardware features to facilitate arc-spray coating applications and functions

The present invention generally provides a substrate processing system having a thermally conductive and electrically insulative member coupled to a heated member that provides for heat dissipation from the heated member. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides for heat dissipation through thermal conductance of an electrically insulated coil in an IMP reaction chamber.

Enhanced cooling IMP coil support

An improved system for performing plasma enhanced PVD of copper, aluminum, tungsten or other metallic material is disclosed. The system has markedly improved performance in the critical area of unwanted in-film particle deposits. The improved performance is provided by lowering the operating temperature of the RF coil used in the plasma enhanced PVD system and by carefully smoothing the outer surface of the RF coil. High conductivity material in the coil supports, increased contact area between the coil supports and the RF coil, and the use of active cooling of the coil further enhance the performance of the system.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

James H Tsung