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:
Feb. 01, 2011
Filed:
Feb. 03, 2006
Makoto Inagawa, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Akihiro Hosokawa, Cupertino, CA (US);
John M. White, Hayward, CA (US);
Makoto Inagawa, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Akihiro Hosokawa, Cupertino, CA (US);
John M. White, Hayward, CA (US);
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A magnetron scanning and support mechanism in which the magnetron is partially supported from an overhead scanning mechanism through multiple springs coupled to different horizontal locations on the magnetron and partially supported from below at multiple locations on the target, on which it slides or rolls. In one embodiment, the yoke plate is continuous and uniform. In another embodiment, the magnetron's magnetic yoke is divided into two flexible yokes, for example, of complementary serpentine shape and each supporting magnets of respective polarity. The yokes separated by a gap sufficiently small that the two yokes are magnetically coupled. Each yoke has its own set of spring supports from above and rolling/sliding supports from below to allow the magnetron shape to conform to that of the target. Alternatively, narrow slots are formed in a unitary yoke.