The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 08, 1983
Filed:
Nov. 05, 1982
Lawrence T Lamont, Jr, Mountain View, CA (US);
Varian Associates, Inc., Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
Magnetron sputter coating sources are usually designed for vacuum deposition of nonmagnetic materials. Such sources employ nonmagnetic sputter targets. In some cases it is desired to use the same magnetron sources to dispense magnetic materials. It is therefore desired to use magnetic sputter targets interchangeably with nonmagnetic sputter targets. The novel design approach of the present invention employs a magnetic sputter target comprising first and second magnetic target portions separated by a gap. These magnetic target portions serve as virtual pole pieces. The fringing magnetic field adjacent the gap serves to position and enhance the glow discharge. By controlling the configurations of these virtual pole pieces and the gap between them, the glow discharge and the corresponding target erosion pattern may, within limits, be shaped as desired. The magnetic target portions need not be magnetically saturated. Hence they may be made relatively thick in cross-section, thereby providing relatively large reservoirs of magnetic sputter target material.