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. 08, 2015
Filed:
Aug. 18, 2011
Chia-liang Chueh, Chiayi, TW;
Kuo-chou Chen, Zhubei, TW;
Ren-dou Lee, Hsinchu, TW;
Hsien-liang Meng, Tainan, TW;
Chun-wei Lin, Zhubei, TW;
Chia-Liang Chueh, Chiayi, TW;
Kuo-Chou Chen, Zhubei, TW;
Ren-Dou Lee, Hsinchu, TW;
Hsien-Liang Meng, Tainan, TW;
Chun-Wei Lin, Zhubei, TW;
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Hsin-Chu, TW;
Abstract
A sputtering target is provided that includes a planar backing plate and a target material formed over the planar backing plate and including an uneven sputtering surface including thick portions and thin portions and configured in conjunction with a sputtering apparatus such as a magnetron sputtering tool with a fixed magnet arrangement. The uneven surface is designed in conjunction with the magnetic fields that will be produced by the magnet arrangement such that the thicker target portions are positioned at locations where target erosion occurs at a high rate. Also provided is the magnetron sputtering system and a method for utilizing the target with uneven sputtering surface such that the thickness across the target to become more uniform in time as the target is used.