The Boc Group, Inc.

Milan R Kirs

Peter A Sieck

Abraham I Belkind

Terry A Trumbly

Carolynn Boehmler

Zoltan Orban

J Randall Kurie

A planar magnetron sputtering device with improved target utilization and cooling capacity is provided. The device includes a magnet yoke as the main structure of the cathode body. The magnet yoke is made of low carbon steel which provides magnetic shunt and physical strength. The target is attached to a metal backing plate so that the side surface of the target is substantially flush with the side surface of the backing plate. Suitable magnets are adapted for producing a closed-loop magnetic field over the lower surface of the target. The magnets include an outer magnet that has an annular structure positioned around an inner elongated magnet. The outer magnets are positioned along the perimeter of the backing plate and small magnets are employed to create larger active target area. The magnet yoke also comprises extension structures which are positioned along the side surface of the target. These extensions shunt the magnetic field at the edges of the target. The planar magnetron demonstrates improved target utilization and deposits more uniform films.

Planar magnetron sputtering apparatus

A rotating cylindrical sputtering target surface as part of a magnetron has cylindrical shields adjacent each end of the target to prevent arcing that undesirably occurs when certain materials are being sputtered, particularly dielectrics. If two or more rotating targets are employed in a single magnetron system, each is similarly shielded. In a preferred form, the target is provided with a single cylindrical shield that is cut away for a significant portion of the distance around the cylinder to provide an opening through which a sputtering region of the target is accessible, while maintaining shielding of the target end regions. This preferred shield is rotatable in order to allow the position of the sputtering activity to be selected.

Cylindrical magnetron shield structure

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Lafayette, CA, United States of America

Milan R Kirs