Chemistry: electrical and wave energy – Apparatus – Coating – forming or etching by sputtering
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-26
2002-02-05
Huff, Mark F. (Department: 1756)
Chemistry: electrical and wave energy
Apparatus
Coating, forming or etching by sputtering
C204S298120, C204S298150, C118S724000, C228S002100, C228S110100, C228S112100, C228S117000, C228S158000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06344117
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a backing plate for sputtering preferably used in a sputtering apparatus of a magnetron sputtering system or the like used in fabricating, for example, a liquid crystal panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, as shown in FIG.
7
A and
FIG. 7B
, there is used a backing plate
51
a surface of which is attached with a target T′ of an ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) sintered body or the like in a magnetron sputtering system. As shown in
FIG. 8
, the backing plate
51
is provided with a cooling medium flow path
54
at an inner portion thereof for cooling the target T′ attached to the surface. Further, a rear face side of the backing plate
51
is arranged with a magnet, not illustrated, for applying a magnetic field on sputtering particles.
The conventional backing plate
51
comprises a clad plate integrally attached with two sheets of metal plates
52
and
53
. As shown in
FIG. 8
, grooves
54
a
and
54
b
for forming the cooling medium flow path are respectively formed at an overlap face
55
for overlapping the two metal plates
52
and
53
and the two metal plates
52
and
53
are made to overlap and integrally bonded by welding (weld portions W
1
′, W
2
′) by which the cooling medium low path
54
in a circuit shape is formed at the inner portion. Further, a cooling medium (not illustrated) injected before welding the two metal plates
52
and
53
is sealed in the cooling medium flow path
54
of the backing plate
51
.
Meanwhile, as mentioned above, the cooling medium flow path
54
of the conventional backing plate
51
is constituted by the grooves
54
a
and
54
b
for forming the cooling medium flow path and these grooves
54
a
and
54
b
have conventionally been formed by pressing the overlap faces
55
of the respective metal plates
52
and
53
by forming dies having forming projections in correspondence with the grooves.
However, according to the above-described conventional backing plate
51
, in order to form the grooves
54
a
and
54
b
for forming the cooling medium flow path, expensive forming dies must be used and therefore, there is a drawback in which the fabrication cost is increased. Particularly, although the grooves
54
a
and
54
b
for forming the cooling medium flow path are preferably formed in a complicated circuit shape to promote the cooling efficiency, in this case, there are used forming dies having complicated forming projections in correspondence with the circuit shape of the grooves
54
a
and
54
b
and accordingly, the fabrication cost is further increased.
Further, according to the above-described conventional backing plate
51
, in order to prevent the cooling medium sealed in the cooling medium flow path
54
from oozing to the overlap face
55
and leaking to outside, substantially total peripheries of peripheral edges of the two metal plates
52
and
53
must be welded without fail (weld portion W
1
′) and therefore, the welding operation becomes troublesome. The welding operation must firmly be carried out such that the weld portion W
1
′ becomes liquidtight when the cooling medium comprises a liquid and the weld portion W
1
′ becomes airtight when the cooling medium comprises a gas and therefore, the welding operation becomes further troublesome. There also poses a problem in which when a weld defect such as a nonwelded portion is present in the weld portion W
1
′, the cooling medium leaks out from the weld defect portion and accordingly, the atmosphere in the apparatus is contaminated and excellent film forming condition cannot be established. Further, although it is conceivable to attach together the two metal plates
52
and
53
by using fastening members of rivets or the like, in this case, there is a concern of leaking the cooling medium from portions of the overlap face among contiguous fastening portions, which is insufficient in achieving prevention of leakage of the cooling medium.
Further, according to the conventional backing plate
51
, two sheets of the metal plates
52
and
53
need to strictly position such that corresponding ones of the grooves
54
a
and
54
b
are aligned. Accordingly, in welding them, there is separately needed a fixing device for preventing a positional shift between the two metal plates
52
and
53
and therefore, the fabrication cost is increased also in this respect and the welding operation becomes troublesome.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention has been carried out in order to resolve such difficulties and it is an object of the invention to provide a backing plate for sputtering which can be fabricated simply.
It is another object of the invention to provide a backing plate for sputtering having high thermal conductivity.
It is another object of the invention to provide a backing plate for sputtering which is light-weighted.
Other object of the invention will become apparent by embodiments shown below.
In order to achieve the above-described object, according to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a backing plate for sputtering, wherein a cooling portion made of a metal in a plate-like shape having a cooling medium flow path at an inner portion thereof is attached together to a base portion made of a metal in a plate-like shape.
According to the invention, as means for attaching the cooling portion to the base portion, for example, welding or a fastening member is used. As welding, for example, welding utilizing a high energy density heat source such as laser welding, electron beam welding or the like or friction agitation bonding is used. Meanwhile, as a fastening member, for example, rivet, screw, bolt, nut or clamp is used.
Further, according to the backing plate for sputtering of the invention, the cooling medium flow path is formed at the inner portion of the cooling portion and accordingly, when the cooling portion is attached to the base portion by welding with the purpose of preventing leakage of cooling medium, a substantially total periphery of a peripheral edge of the cooling portion may not necessarily be welded, accordingly, the welding operation is facilitated, in carrying out the welding, there is no need of carrying out the welding operation such that a weld portion becomes liquidtight or airtight and therefore, the welding operation is further facilitated. Further, even when a weld defect is accidentally present in a weld portion, there is no leakage of cooling medium from the weld defect portion and accordingly, the atmosphere in the apparatus is not contaminated and accordingly, excellent film forming conditions can be maintained firmly. Further, when the cooling portion is welded to the base portion, both may not be positioned each other strictly and accordingly, there is no need of necessarily using a fixing device for preventing a positional shift therebetween and accordingly, the welding operation is further facilitated. Meanwhile, even when the cooling portion is attached to the base portion by a fastening member, there poses no problem of leakage of cooling medium. Therefore, as attaching means, not only welding but also a fastening member can be used.
Further, it is preferable in the backing plate according to the above-described invention that the base portion is made of aluminum or its alloy.
Thereby, light weight formation of the backing plate can be achieved.
Further, it is preferable in the backing plate according to the above-described invention that the base portion is made of copper or its alloy.
Thereby, thermal conductivity of the base portion of the backing plate can be made high by which cooling function of the backing plate is promoted.
Further, according to the backing plate of the invention, it is preferable that the cooling portion is made of aluminum or its alloy.
Thereby, light weight formation of the backing plate can be achieved.
Further, according to the backing plate of the invention, it is preferable that the cooling portion is made of copper or its alloy.
Thereby, the therm
Enomoto Masatoshi
Hashimoto Takenori
Kawata Naoyuki
Tasaki Seiji
Chacko-Davis Daborah
Huff Mark F.
Showa Denko K.K.
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