Copper sputtering targets and methods of forming copper sputtering targets

Abstract

The invention includes a copper-comprising sputtering target. The target is monolithic or bonded and contains at least 99.99% copper by weight and has an average grain size of from 1 micron to 50 microns. The copper-comprising target has a yield strength of greater than or equal to about 15 ksi and a Brinell hardness (HB) of greater than about 40. The invention includes copper alloy monolithic and bonded sputtering targets consisting essentially of less than or equal to about 99.99% copper by weight and a total amount of alloying element(s) of at least 100 ppm and less than 10% by weight. The targets have an average grain size of from less than 1 micron to 50 microns and have a grain size non-uniformity of less than about 15% standard deviation (1-sigma) throughout the target. The invention additionally includes methods of producing bonded and monolithic copper and copper alloy targets.

Description

technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to copper-containing monolithic sputtering targets and copper-containing bonded sputtering targets. The invention also relates to methods of forming copper-containing monoliths and connecting sputter targets. Background of the invention

[0002] Currently, high purity copper sputtering targets and copper alloy sputtering targets are used in many applications including, for example, integrated circuit fabrication. The quality of copper-containing structures such as interconnects and films depends on the sputtering performance of the target. Many factors of the sputtering target can affect the sputtering performance of the target, these factors include: the average particle size and uniformity of the particle size of the target; the crystallographic orientation / texture of the target; the uniformity of the structure and composition in the target and The strength of the target. Typically, a smaller average particle size cor...

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