Mitsubishi Materials Corporation

Yuuki Yoshida

Satoru Mori

Kouichi Ishiyama

Muneaki Watanabe

Kazunori Igarashi

Provided are a sputtering target composed of a Cu&#x2014;Ga sintered compact that has a further reduced oxygen content and can suppress abnormal discharges, and a method for producing the same. The sintered compact has a component composition containing a Ga content of 20 at % or higher and less than 30 at % with the balance being Cu and inevitable impurities, and has an oxygen content of 100 ppm or lower and an average grain size of 100 &#x3bc;m or less, and exhibits the diffraction peaks assigned to the &#x3b3; and &#x3b6; phases of CuGa as observed in X-ray diffraction, wherein the main peak intensity of the diffraction peaks assigned to the &#x3b6; phase is 10% or higher relative to that of the diffraction peaks assigned to the &#x3b3; phase.

Sputtering target and method for producing same

The present invention provides a sputtering target of a Cu&#x2014;Ga sintered body in which the oxygen content is further reduced and the abnormal discharging can be suppressed, and a method for producing the same. The sputtering target according to the present invention is a sintered body having: a texture in which Na compound phases are dispersed in a matrix with a &#x3b3; phase and a &#x3b6; phase of a Cu&#x2014;Ga alloy; and a component composition made of: 20 atomic % to 30 atomic % of Ga; 0.05 atomic % to 10 atomic % of Na; and the Cu balance and inevitable impurities including elements other than Na in the Na compound, wherein an average grain size of the &#x3b3; phase is 30 &#x3bc;m to 100 &#x3bc;m, and an average grain size of the Na compound phases is equal to or less than 8.5 &#x3bc;m.

Cu&#x2014;Ga alloy sputtering target, and method for producing same

According to the present invention, a Cu&#x2014;Ga alloy sputtering target which is a sintered body has a composition with 29.5 atom % to 43.0 atom % of Ga and a balance of Cu and inevitable impurities. A Cu&#x2014;Ga alloy crystal particle in the sintered body has a structure in which &#x3b3; phase particles are dispersed in a &#x3b3;-phase crystal particle. A method for producing the sputtering target includes a step of performing normal pressure sintering by heating a molded body formed of a powder mixture of a pure Cu powder and a Cu&#x2014;Ga alloy powder in a reducing atmosphere, and a step of cooling the obtained sintered body at a cooling rate of 0.1&#xb0; C./min to 1.0&#xb0; C./min, at a temperature having a range of 450&#xb0; C. to 650&#xb0; C.

Growing community of inventors

Naka-gun, Japan

Yuuki Yoshida