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:
May. 22, 2001
Filed:
Jan. 19, 2000
David A. Glocker, Rush, NY (US);
Other;
Abstract
A hollow cathode magnetron for sputtering target material from the inner surface of a target onto an off-spaced substrate. The magnetron is in the shape of a truncated cone, also known as a conical frustum. The target cone is backed by a conical cathode maintained at a predetermined voltage for attracting gas ions into the inner surface of the target cone to sputter material therefrom. The inner surface of the cone is bounded at its inner and outer edges by magnetic pole pieces orthogonal to and extending inwardly and outwardly of the cone surface. The magnetic path is completed by a conical magnet surrounding the target and conical electrode and magnetically connected to the pole pieces to form a magnetic cage. Lines of magnetic flux extending above the target surface between the pole pieces are substantially parallel with the target surface, providing uniform erosion over the entire surface. Preferably, the conical magnet is tapered so that some lines of magnetic flux terminate in the target surface, maintaining thereby a uniform flux density and consequent uniform erosional intensity over all portions of the surface of the target. Sputter coatings on planar-targets can achieve a real thickness nonuniformities of less than +/−0.2%.