High deposition rate sputtering

Details High deposition rate sputtering High deposition rate sputtering

2005-07-18

2010-10-12

McDonald, Rodney G (Department: 1795)

Chemistry: electrical and wave energy

Processes and products

Coating, forming or etching by sputtering

C204S298080, C204S298060

Reexamination Certificate

active

07811421

ABSTRACT:
Methods and apparatus for high-deposition sputtering are described. A sputtering source includes an anode and a cathode assembly that is positioned adjacent to the anode. The cathode assembly includes a sputtering target. An ionization source generates a weakly-ionized plasma proximate to the anode and the cathode assembly. A power supply produces an electric field between the anode and the cathode assembly that creates a strongly-ionized plasma from the weakly-ionized plasma. The strongly-ionized plasma includes a first plurality of ions that impact the sputtering target to generate sufficient thermal energy in the sputtering target to cause a sputtering yield of the sputtering target to be non-linearly related to a temperature of the sputtering target.

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