Applied Materials, Inc.

Applied Material, Inc.

Mark A Mueller

Xin Sheng Guo

John C Egermeier

Michael Dill

A method of deposition for W or TiW on a silicon wafer in a physical vapor deposition chamber equipped with a clamping ring without incurring arcing problem between the wafer and the clamping ring by utilizing a novel two-step high-pressure/low-pressure process in which a first depositing step is carried out at a relatively high pressure above 11 mTorr so as to form an electrical bridge between the wafer and the clamping ring and a second depositing step is carried out at a lower pressure so as to form a high-quality conductive film.

Two-step deposition process for preventing arcs

A novel method of in-situ cleaning a Ti target in a Ti+TiN anti-reflective coating process when such Ti and TiN deposition process are conducted in the same process chamber by the addition of a simple process step and without the use of a shutter.

Article formed by in-situ cleaning a Ti target in a Ti+TiN coating

Sputtering apparatus and method employing an auxiliary magnetic structure situated between the substrate holder and target of a plasma sputtering chamber to control-the lateral extent of the plasma. The auxiliary magnetic structure, possessing a lower field strength in the plasma region than the principal magnet or magnets, is situated immediately outside of and around a circumference of the chamber's anode shield. The principal magnets maintain the plasma in a ring adjacent to the sputtering target. The auxiliary magnetic structure causes the plasma ring to expand toward the edge of the target or contract away from the edge depending on the magnetic strength and polarity of the structure and its position relative to the target.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Mark A Mueller