Nihon Shinku Gijutsu Kabushiki Kaisha

Yasushi Higuchi

Kyuzo Nakamura

Yoshifumi Ota

Takashi Komatsu

Satoru Ishibashi

Tomoyasu Kondo

Tsuyoshi Sahoda

Kuniaki Nakajima

Noriaki Tani

Michio Ishikawa

Taiki Yamada

Hisaharu Obinata

Yuzo Murata

Morohisa Tamura

Toshimitsu Uehigashi

A sputtering device that efficiently guides sputtering particles ejected from a target to a film deposition subject and prolongs the interval at which a stick preventive member requires replacement. The sputtering device has a vacuum chamber in which a specified sputtering target is placed so as to face a substrate that is also placed in the vacuum chamber , and deposits a film on a surface of the substrate using sputtering particles ejected from the sputtering target ; and particle ejection sections constructed so as to slope at a specified angle of 30&deg; to 60&deg; with respect to the surface of the substrate , and respectively facing each other in the shape of a funnel are provided on the sputtering target . Lines of magnetic force run from an N pole of a magnet arranged at a rear surface of the target to an S pole of a magnet arranged around the target

Sputtering device

A sputtering apparatus includes a vacuum housing, a substrate holder disposed in the vacuum housing for holding a substrate thereon, and a composite sputtering cathode assembly disposed in the vacuum housing. The composite sputtering cathode assembly has a plurality of targets and a plurality of shields each disposed between adjacent ones of the targets. The targets are disposed in confronting relation to the substrate held on the substrate holder. Those sputtering particles expelled from the targets which are directed obliquely to the substrate hit the shields and do not reach the substrate. Only those sputtering particles which are directed substantially perpendicularly to the substrate are applied to the substrate. The distribution of film thicknesses on the substrate is made uniform when the substrate and the targets rotate relatively to each other.

Composite sputtering cathode assembly and sputtering apparatus with such composite sputtering cathode assembly

A sputtering device enabling a small incident angle. A plurality of shield plates provided with holes at the same positions as targets are arranged in a vacuum chamber. Sputtering particles ejected diagonally from the targets,become attached to the shield plates,and only particles ejected vertically reach the surface of a substrate,As a result, it is possible to uniformly form a thin film inside microscopic holes of high aspect ratio. If sputtering gas is introduced close to the targets,, reactant gas is introduced close to the substrate,and evacuation carried out close to the substrate,reactant gas does not reach the targets,side. Consequently, it is possible to prevent deterioration of the surfaces of the targets,.

A method of producing by sputtering an In-O, Sn-O, Zn-O, Cd-Sn-O or Cd-In-O based transparent conductive film according to the present invention uses the addition of a donor element, if needed. The sputtering is carried out by maintaining an intensity of a magnetic field on a surface of a target at 600 Oe or greater as well as by charging the target with a DC electric field superimposed by an RF electric field. An apparatus for producing an In-O, Sn-O, Zn-O, Cd-Sn-O or Cd-In-O base transparent conductive film uses the addition of a donor element, if needed. The apparatus has a vacuum chamber adapted to support therein a substrate and a target in an opposed relationship for forming by sputtering the transparent conductive film on the substrate by plasma discharge generated therebetween. The apparatus has a device for forming a magnetic field having a predetermined intensity of 600 Oe or greater on a surface of the target, a DC power supply for charging the target with a DC electric field, and an RF power supply for charging the target with an RF electric field superimposed on the DC electric field.

Method for producing transparent conductive films

A process and apparatus for producing an In-O or In-Sn-O based transparent conductive film by a sputtering process is provided. The sputtering voltage is kept constant at 350V or less by maintaining the intensity of the magnetic field on the surface of the target at 400 Oe or greater. The apparatus contains a vacuum chamber wherein the substrate and target are mounted in opposite to each other. An electromagnet, used for adjusting the intensity of the magnetic field is located on the rear surface of the target. Additionally provided is a controller for the electric current supplied to the electromagnet. The controller is also connected to a DC power supply for the electromagnet.

Process for producing transparent conductive film comprising indium oxide

A Co-based alloy sputter target comprising a f.c.c. phase and a h.c.p. phase, wherein the value of th ratio of X-ray diffraction peak intensity, I.sub.fcc(200) /I.sub.hcp(101), is smaller than the value of the same ratio in a Co-based alloy obtained by cooling a Co-based alloy having a f.c.c. single phase to room temperature from the high temperature at which it is in a melted state. The target is manufactured by subjecting to cold-working treatment a Co-based alloy obtained by cooling a Co-based alloy material having a f.c.c. single phase from its melting temperature.

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Chiba, Japan

Yasushi Higuchi