Sputtering apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides a means capable of determining the surface state of the target to execute accurate and quick cleaning of necessary part. The means includes: a magnet unit capable of forming a magnetic field on the surface of a target; a rotary system capable of driving the magnet unit of change the magnetic field pattern; and an ammeter configured to measure target current when the magnetic field is formed by the magnet unit and discharge voltage is applied to a target electrode to which the target is attached. The position of the magnet unit is variously changed by the rotary system, and the target current is measured at each position and compared with a reference value. It is then determined whether cleaning is necessary at each position, so that cleaning can be performed only for necessary part.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation application of International Application No. PCT / JP2011 / 007275, filed Dec. 26, 2011, which claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-292111, filed Dec. 28, 2010. The contents of the aforementioned applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]The present invention relates to a sputtering apparatus including a magnet unit.BACKGROUND ART[0003]Thin film formation by sputtering using a magnet, for example, magnetron sputtering, is capable of providing high-quality film and implementing high-speed film formation and therefore has been put into practical use in various fields. Manufacturing of semiconductor devices and electronic components is not exception, and the sputtering using a magnet re considered as an important technique influencing the characteristics of the devices and the like. In recent years, the semiconductor devices and electronic c...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention aims to provide a spatter cleaning method that can efficiently and accurately remove impurity layers formed on the target surface, reducing the time and effort required for the cleaning process. The surface state of the target can be determined based on a changing unit that selects the magnetic field pattern that cancels out the magnetic field pattern generated during the sputter cleaning. The invention ultimately reduces the manufacturing cost of devices by increasing apparatus utilization and production volume.

Problems solved by technology

However, it is difficult to directly observe whether impurity layers formed on the target, including re-deposited film of the target material and surface oxidized layer, is sufficiently removed in a state where the target is placed within the vacuum vessel.

Accordingly, a lot of time and effort are spent on the cleaning process that involves many trial-and-error elements.

The thus-reduced apparatus utilization reduces the production volume of devices, and consequently increases the manufacturing cost of the devices.

For example, the aforementioned method shown in Patent Document 2 can comparatively well remove the surface oxidized layer formed on the entire surface of the target but cannot sufficiently remove re-deposited substances of the target adhering to unspecified places.

This produces a waste of the target material and requires a certain time.

Moreover, in the case of sputtering at high voltage without using a magnet, particles ejected by sputtering disperse in the vessel, thus leading to particle formation.

In the method of Patent Document 3, since the discharge characteristic changes as the target is consumed, there is a problem that it is not possible to know whether the oxidized layer (impurity layer) in the target surface is removed by sputter cleaning or the target is consumed.

However, in the case where an oxidized layer (impurity layer) having the same thickness as that in the eroded torus-shaped region adheres to the target surface at a not-eroded region other than the torus-shaped region, it cannot be determined, based on the change in the discharge characteristics, whether the oxidized layer (impurity layer) on a portion of the target surface at the not-eroded region other than the torus-shaped region is already removed.

Accordingly, there is a problem that it is not possible to know whether the oxide film (impurity film) is sufficiently removed in the other region which is not sputtered, for example.

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