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:
Sep. 17, 2013
Filed:
Jun. 06, 2008
John Madocks, Tucson, AZ (US);
Patrick Lawrence Morse, Tucson, AZ (US);
John Madocks, Tucson, AZ (US);
Patrick Lawrence Morse, Tucson, AZ (US);
General Plasma, Inc., Tucson, AZ (US);
Abstract
A new and useful rotatable sputter magnetron assembly is provided, that addresses the issue of uneven wear of the target electrode tube. According to the principles of the present invention, a rotatable sputter magnetron assembly for use in magnetron sputtering target material onto a substrate comprises a. a longitudinally extending tubular shaped target electrode tube having a longitudinal central axis, b. the target electrode tube extending about a magnet bar that is configured to generate a plasma confining magnetic field adjacent the target electrode tube, c. the magnet bar being held substantially stationary within the target electrode tube, and d. the target electrode tube supported for rotation about its longitudinal central axis and for axial movement along its longitudinal central axis, so that wear of the target electrode tube can be controlled by moving the target electrode tube axially during magnetron sputtering of the target material.