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:
Mar. 16, 2010
Filed:
Jul. 23, 2004
Applicants:
Walter Haag, Grabs, CH;
Pius Gruenenfelder, Wangs, CH;
Inventors:
Walter Haag, Grabs, CH;
Pius Gruenenfelder, Wangs, CH;
Assignee:
Oerlikon Solar IP AG, Trubbach, Trubbach, CH;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
C23C 14/35 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract
A magnetron sputtering source includes a plurality of electrodes and a switching circuit. The switching circuit sequentially connects each of the plurality of electrodes to a ground reference, making it anodic, while connecting the remaining of the plurality of electrodes as cathodes. A method of operating the magnetron sputtering source includes steps of: providing a plurality of target arrangements; causing each of the plurality of target arrangements to act as a cathode; and sequentially causing each of the plurality of cathodes to temporarily act as an anode.