Praxair S.t. Technology, Inc.

Materials Research Corporation

Sony Corporation

Praxair Technology, Inc.

Thomas J Hunt

Paul S Gilman

Holger J Koenigsmann

Andrew C Perry

David P Strauss

Alfred Snowman

Suresh Annavarapu

Binu Mathew

Peter McDonald

David E Dombrowski

Brian J O'Hara

James Elliot Joyce

Lothar Puppe

Chi-Fung Lo

Irina Belov

Darryl Draper

Gerd Passing

Andre Desert

Brian J O'HARA

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus of forming a sputter target assembly having a controlled solder thickness. In particular, the method includes the introduction of a bonding foil, between the backing plate and the sputter target, wherein the bonding foil is an ignitable heterogeneous stratified structure for the propagation of an exothermic reaction.

Method for forming sputter target assemblies having a controlled solder thickness

The method forms a sputter target assembly by attaching a sputter target to an insert and applying a bond metal layer between the insert and a backing plate. Then pressing the insert and backing plate together forms a solid state bond with the bond metal layer, attaches the insert to the backing plate and forms at least one cooling channel between the insert and the backing plate.

Method for forming sputter target assemblies

The method manufactures high-purity ferromagnetic sputter targets by cryogenic working the sputter target blank at a temperature below at least &#x2212;50&#xb0; C. to impart at least about 5 percent strain into the sputter target blank to increase PTF uniformity of the target blank. The sputter target blank is a nonferrous metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt and nickel; and the nonferrous metal has a purity of at least about 99.99 weight percent. Finally, fabricating the sputter target blank forms a sputter target having an improved PTF uniformity arising from the cryogenic working.

High-purity ferromagnetic sputter targets and method of manufacture

The high-purity aluminum sputter target is at least 99.999 weight percent aluminum and has a grain structure. The grain structure is at least 99 percent recrystallized and has a grain size of less than 200 &#x3bc;m. The method forms high-purity aluminum sputter targets by first cooling a high-purity target blank to a temperature of less than &#x2212;50 &#xb0; C. and then deforming the cooled high-purity target blank introduces intense strain into the high-purity target. After deforming, recrystallizing the grains at a temperature below 200 &#xb0; C. forms a target blank having at least 99 percent recrystallized grains. Finally, finishing at a low temperature sufficient to maintain the fine grain size of the high-purity target blank forms a finished sputter target.

High-purity aluminum sputter targets and method of manufacture

Provided is a novel high selectivity aqueous slurry composition method of utilizing same. The composition includes non-modified silica based abrasive particles in an amount of about 5 to about 50 weight percent, and an organic compound in an amount of about 0.001 to about 2.0 weight percent in an aqueous solution, wherein the silicon oxide to silicon nitride selectivity ratio ranges from about 50 to about 700.

High selectivity colloidal silica slurry

The high-purity aluminum sputter target is at least 99.999 weight percent aluminum and has a grain structure. The grain structure is at least 99 percent recrystallized and has a grain size of less than 200 &mgr;m. The method forms high-purity aluminum sputter targets by first cooling a high-purity target blank to a temperature of less than &minus;50&deg; C. and then deforming the cooled high-purity target blank introduces intense strain into the high-purity target. After deforming, recrystallizing the grains at a temperature below 200&deg; C. forms a target blank having at least 99 percent recrystallized grains. Finally, finishing at a low temperature sufficient to maintain the fine grain size of the high-purity target blank forms a finished sputter target.

A target assembly in which the sputtering material is not soldered or otherwise metallurgically bonded to a backing plate. Rather, the target, which is homogeneously manufactured of sputtering material, is mechanically coupled (e.g., with bolts) to an adapter, which is itself permanently affixed to the chamber. As a result, the target can be easily uncoupled from the chamber and replaced, without also requiring removal and replacement of a backing plate.

Mechanically joined sputtering target and adapter therefor

The method forms a sputter target assembly by attaching a sputter target to an insert and applying a bond metal layer between the insert and a backing plate. Then pressing the insert and backing plate together forms a solid state bond with the bond metal layer, attaches the insert to the backing plate and forms at least one cooling channel between the insert and the backing plate. A filler metal secures the outer perimeter of the insert to the backing plate in order to eliminate leakage from the cooling channel during sputtering of the sputter target.

The method manufactures high-purity ferromagnetic sputter targets by cryogenic working the sputter target blank at a temperature below at least &minus;50&deg; C. to impart at least about 5 percent strain into the sputter target blank to increase PTF uniformity of the target blank. The sputter target blank is a nonferrous metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt and nickel; and the nonferrous metal has a purity of at least about 99.99 weight percent. Finally, fabricating the sputter target blank forms a sputter target having an improved PTF uniformity arising from the cryogenic working.

The method manufactures sputter target assemblies. It first includes the step of manufacturing a target insert. The target insert has a yield strength, a diameter, a height, a planar top surface and a conical-shaped rear surface. Then a backing plate is manufactured. The backing plate has a cylindrical recess that corresponds to the diameter of the target insert. The cylindrical recess has a depth less than the height of the target insert and a yield strength less than the yield strength of the target insert. Finally, pressing the target insert into the cylindrical recess of the backing plate bonds the target insert to the backing plate to form a target assembly. The pressed target assembly contains the target insert with the conical-shaped rear surface.

Recessed sputter target

The sputter target deposits nickel from a binary alloy. The binary alloy contains, by weight percent, 9 to 15 titanium and the balance nickel and incidental impurities. The binary alloy has, by weight percent, 35 to 50 TiNi needle-like intermetallic phase and balance &agr;-nickel phase. The TiNi needle-like intermetallic phase and &agr;-nickel phase are formed from a eutectic decomposition. The &agr;-nickel phase has a grain size between 50 and 180 &mgr;m. The binary alloy has a Curie temperature of less than or equal to a temperature of 25&deg; C. and exhibits paramagnetic properties at temperatures of 25&deg; C. or lower.

Nickel-titanium sputter target alloy

A method is provided for achieving an enhanced finish on a sputter target surface that results in good film uniformity, low particle counts, and little to no bum-in time. The method involves chemically etching the surface of the sputter target by immersing the surface one or more times in an etching solution, with intermediate rinsing steps. The result is a surface substantially free of mechanical deformation that exhibits a surface similar to a sputtered target with a surface roughness of 10-30 &mgr;in.

Method of manufacturing enhanced finish sputtering targets

A method of forming a sputter target/backing plate assembly comprises the steps of: providing a target fabricated from a first material having a coefficient of thermal expansion; providing a backing plate fabricated from a second material having a coefficient of thermal expansion; providing a block fabricated from a third material having a coefficient of thermal expansion; positioning the block on one side of the backing plate; positioning the target on the other side of the backing plate; and subjecting the target, backing plate and block to elevated temperature and pressure to bond the target, backing plate and block together. The third material is selected so as to have a coefficient of thermal expansion which counteracts the effects of the coefficients of thermal expansion of the first and second materials. The third material may be selected so as to have a coefficient of thermal expansion which is approximately the same as the coefficient of thermal expansion of the first material.

Sputter target/backing plate assembly and method of making same

The present invention provides a high purity cobalt sputter target having a single phase h.c.p. structure and a magnetic permeability less than the intrinsic magnetic permeability of the material. Substantially pure cobalt is cast and slowly cooled, such as at a rate of 15&deg; C./min. Or less, to form a cast target of single phase h.c.p. crystallographic structure. This cast target is hot worked at a temperature of at least about 1000&deg; C. to impart a strain of about 65% or greater into the cobalt material, followed by a slow, controlled cooling to room temperature, such as at a rate of 15&deg; C./min. or less, to maintain the single phase h.c.p. crystallographic structure. The cooled target is then cold worked at substantially room temperature to impart a strain of about 5-20%. The sputter target of the present invention processed by this method has a magnetic permeability of less than about 9, grain sizes in the size range of about 70-160 &mgr;m, and average grain size of about 130 &mgr;m.

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Peekskill, NY, United States of America

Thomas J Hunt