Sputtering device

Abstract

The present invention provides a sputtering apparatus capable of equalizing the film thickness of a substrate having unevenness on the film-forming surface. The sputtering apparatus includes: a moving mechanism that moves the substrate; a target that causes sputtering particles to fly toward the substrate; a magnet that is arranged such that the main flying direction of the sputtering particles from the target becomes an oblique incident direction inclined from the normal direction of the substrate, and forms a magnetic field on the surface of the target; and a switching mechanism that switches the orientation of the magnet in such a manner that the main flying direction is changed from a first oblique incident direction to a second oblique incident direction different from the first oblique incident direction according to a change in the moving direction of the substrate performed by the moving mechanism.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a sputtering device. Background Art

[0002] In the manufacture of organic EL displays and the like, a technique for forming a film on a substrate using a sputtering device is known. As such a sputtering device, there is known a sputtering device that tilts the main scattering direction of sputtered particles relative to the substrate or provides a shielding member between the target and the substrate in order to achieve uniform film thickness and reduce damage to the substrate's base layer (e.g., Patent Document 1).

[0003] Prior art literature

[0004] Patent Literature

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-090083 Summary of the Invention

[0006] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0007] For a substrate having irregularities on the film formation surface, the amount of sputtered particles deposited on the side surfaces of the irregularities tends to decrease, and there is room for improvement in terms of uniformity of film thickness.

[0008] The present invention provides a technology capable of achieving uniform film thickness.

[0009] Solutions to Problems

[0010] According to the present invention, there is provided a sputtering device comprising:

[0011] a moving mechanism that moves the substrate;

[0012] a target material that scatters sputtered particles toward the substrate;

[0013] a magnet arranged so that a main scattering direction of sputtered particles from the target becomes an oblique incident direction tilted from a normal direction of the substrate, and forming a magnetic field on a surface of the target; and

[0014] A switching mechanism switches the orientation of the magnet so as to change the main scattering direction from a first oblique incident direction to a second oblique incident direction different from the first oblique incident direction in response to a change in the direction of movement of the substrate by the moving mechanism.

[0015] Furthermore, according to the present invention, there is provided a sputtering device comprising:

[0016] a moving mechanism that moves the substrate;

[0017] a target material that scatters sputtered particles toward the substrate; and

[0018] A shielding mechanism that restricts the scattering range of sputtering particles relative to the substrate during film formation.

[0019] The shielding mechanism switches the allowable scattering range of sputtering particles according to a change in the direction of movement of the substrate performed by the moving mechanism.

[0020] Furthermore, according to the present invention, there is provided a sputtering apparatus including:

[0021] A target that causes sputtering particles to fly toward a substrate;

[0022] A magnet that is arranged such that the main scattering direction of sputtering particles from the target becomes an oblique incidence direction inclined from the normal direction of the substrate, and forms a magnetic field on the surface of the target;

[0023] A moving mechanism that moves the target and the magnet relative to the substrate; and

[0024] A switching mechanism that switches the orientation of the magnet in such a way that the main scattering direction is changed from a first oblique incidence direction to a second oblique incidence direction different from the first oblique incidence direction according to a change in the direction of movement of the target and the magnet performed by the moving mechanism.

[0025] Furthermore, according to the present invention, there is provided a sputtering apparatus including:

[0026] A target that causes sputtering particles to fly toward a substrate;

[0027] A shielding mechanism that restricts the scattering range of sputtering particles relative to the substrate during film formation; and

[0028] A moving mechanism that moves the target,

[0029] The shielding mechanism switches the allowable scattering range of sputtering particles according to a change in the direction of movement of the target performed by the moving mechanism.

[0030] Advantageous Effects of the Invention

[0031] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technique for achieving uniform film thickness. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] FIG. 1(A) and FIG. 1(B) are schematic views of a sputtering apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] FIG. 2(A) and FIG. 2(B) are explanatory views of a film formation operation.

[0034] FIG. 3(A) and FIG. 3(B) are schematic views of a sputtering apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figures 4(A) and 4(B) are explanatory diagrams of the film forming operation.

[0036] Figures 5(A) and 5(B) are explanatory diagrams of the film forming operation of a sputtering apparatus according to another embodiment.

[0037] Figures 6(A) to 6(C) is a diagram showing an example of a flat target, and Figure 6(D) is a diagram showing another example of the relative movement of the substrate and the target.

[0038] Explanation of reference numerals

[0039] 1 Sputtering apparatus, 6 Target, 9 Magnet, 16 Shielding unit, 100 Substrate Detailed implementation manners

[0040] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the following embodiments do not limit the invention described in the claims. Although multiple features are described in the embodiments, these multiple features are not necessarily all essential features of the invention. In addition, the multiple features can be arbitrarily combined. Further, in the drawings, the same or similar structures are denoted by the same reference numerals and repeated descriptions are omitted.

[0041] <First Embodiment>

[0042] <Structure of the sputtering apparatus>

[0043] Figures 1(A) and 1(B) are schematic diagrams of a sputtering apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1(A) is a view of the sputtering apparatus 1 observed from the side, and Figure 1(B) is a view of the sputtering apparatus 1 observed from above. In each figure, the arrow Z represents the vertical direction (gravity direction), and the arrows X and Y represent horizontal directions orthogonal to each other.

[0044] The sputtering apparatus 1 is a film forming apparatus for forming a film on a substrate 100, and can be applied to manufacturing apparatuses for manufacturing electronic devices such as display devices (flat panel displays, etc.), thin film solar cells, organic optoelectronic conversion elements (organic thin film imaging elements), or optical members. In particular, it can be applied to a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing an organic EL panel. When applied to the manufacturing of an organic EL panel, for example, an organic film is pre-formed on the lower surface of the substrate 100, and the sputtering apparatus 1 forms an electrode film on the organic film by sputtering.

[0045] The sputtering apparatus 1 has a box-shaped vacuum chamber 2. The vacuum chamber 2 is connected to a vacuum pump (not shown), and the internal space can be decompressed by exhausting by the vacuum pump. An inert gas such as argon is supplied to the internal space of the vacuum chamber 2 by a gas supply unit 3.

[0046] The sputtering apparatus 1 includes a moving unit 4 that transports a substrate within a vacuum chamber 2. The moving unit 4 includes a pair of guide rails 4a and a carrier 5 that is supported by the pair of guide rails 4a and moves therealong. Each guide rail 4a extends along the X direction, and the pair of guide rails 4a are separated in the Y direction. The moving unit 4 has a driving mechanism such as a linear motor and a ball screw mechanism. Under the driving force of the driving mechanism, the carrier 5 reciprocates in the X direction along the pair of guide rails 4a as shown by the solid line and the dashed line in FIG. 1(B). The path of movement from the solid line position toward the dashed line position is referred to as the forward path, and conversely, the path of movement from the dashed line position toward the solid line position is referred to as the return path.

[0047] The carrier 5 has a holding portion 5a that holds the substrate 100. The substrate 100 is transported into the vacuum chamber 2 from the door 2a and held by the carrier 5. By the movement of the carrier 5, the substrate 100 reciprocates in the X direction within the vacuum chamber 2 in a horizontal attitude with its width direction as the Y direction. During the reciprocation, sputtering particles scattered from the target 6 accumulate on the lower surface of the substrate 100 to form a film. The substrate 100 on which the film formation is completed is carried out of the vacuum chamber 2 from the door 2a.

[0048] In the case of the present embodiment, the target 6 is a rotatable target that rotates around a rotation center line C1 in the Y direction. The target 6 is supported by a pair of support tables 10. A motor 11 is provided on one of the support tables 10, and the target 6 rotates under the driving force of the motor 11 with the motor 11 as a driving source.

[0049] The target 6 has a cylindrical shape, and a cathode electrode 7 is provided on its inner peripheral surface. The target 6 is applied with a voltage by a voltage application unit 8 and maintained at a cathode potential to perform discharge. In addition, the sputtering apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is a magnetron sputtering apparatus, and a magnet 9 that forms a magnetic field on the surface of the target 6 is disposed above the internal space of the target 6.

[0050] The magnet 9 includes a central magnet 9a that extends along the Y direction, a peripheral magnet 9b that surrounds the central magnet 9a, and a magnetic yoke 9c. The peripheral magnet 9b is an annular magnet having a pair of linear portions that extend parallel to the central magnet 9a along the Y direction and connecting portions that connect the two ends in the Y direction of the pair of linear portions. In FIG. 1(A) and the like, a cross section of the pair of linear portions of the peripheral magnet 9b is shown, and a top view of the magnet 9 is shown in FIG. 1(B).

[0051] The central magnet 9a and the peripheral magnets 9b have opposite polarities, and the magnetization direction of the central magnet 9a is aligned with the direction of the central reference line N0. The central reference line N0 is a straight line that passes through the widthwise center of the magnetic pole of the central magnet 9a (the X-center in the position shown in Figure 1(A)) and extends in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the target 6 (the radial direction of the target 6). In the position shown in Figure 1(A), the central reference line N0 extends in the Z direction and passes through the rotational centerline C1 of the target 6, perpendicular to the transport surface of the substrate 100. The magnetization direction of the peripheral magnets 9b extends parallel to that of the central magnet 9a, and the inner ends of the central magnet 9a and the peripheral magnets 9b are connected by a yoke 9c. As a result, the magnetic field near the surface of the target 6 has magnetic lines of force that loop back from the magnetic pole of the central magnet 9a toward the straight line of the peripheral magnets 9b. This magnetic field captures electrons, concentrating the plasma near the surface of the target 6 and improving sputtering efficiency.

[0052] The sputtering device 1 includes a switching unit 12. The switching unit 12 includes a rotating shaft 14 and a motor 13 serving as a drive source. The motor 13 is built into the other support platform 10 and rotates the rotating shaft 14 via a transmission mechanism (e.g., a gear mechanism) (not shown). The rotating shaft 14 extends coaxially with the rotation centerline C1 of the target 6 in the Y direction and is supported by a pair of support platforms 10 for free rotation. The magnet 9 is connected to the rotating shaft 14 and rotates by the rotation of the rotating shaft 14 to switch its orientation in the ZX plane.

[0053] The sputtering apparatus 1 includes a control unit 15. This control unit 15 includes at least one processor, at least one storage device, and an interface for data input and output with sensors and actuators to control the sputtering apparatus 1. The storage device may be, for example, a RAM or ROM memory. The processor executes programs stored in the storage device to control the motors 11 and 13 and the moving unit 4.

[0054] <Film forming operation>

[0055] The film forming action of the sputtering device 1 is described with reference to Figures 2(A) and 2(B). While the substrate 100 is continuously moved by the moving unit 4, the sputtered particles P are scattered from the target material 6 to the substrate 100 and are accumulated and formed on the lower surface of the substrate 100. Figure 2(A) shows the film forming action when the substrate 100 moves in the forward direction, and the substrate 100 is moved along the X direction (M1 direction). Figure 2(B) shows the film forming action when the substrate 100 moves in the return direction, and the substrate 100 is moved in the reverse direction (M2 direction) in the X direction. During film formation, the motor 11 is driven so that the target material 6 rotates (rotates) continuously, for example, in the direction of the arrow R1 (counterclockwise).

[0056] The elliptical ring L near the surface of the target 6 shown in FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B) schematically represents the portion where the plasma is concentrated. It is known that sputtering particles scatter intensively from the point where the magnetic flux density component in the normal direction of the surface of the target 6 is zero. This point is located between the straight portions of the central magnet 9a and the peripheral magnet 9b. As shown in FIG. 1(A), when the central reference line N0 points in the normal direction Z1 (in the case of this embodiment, the Z direction) of the substrate 100, the deposition rate distribution per unit time when the sputtering particles emitted from the target 6 are deposited on the transfer surface is a mountain-shaped distribution with a peak near the central reference line N0 and decreasing rates on both sides in the X direction. Therefore, the direction of the central reference line N0 can be called the main scattering direction of the sputtering particles.

[0057] As shown in FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B), when the lower surface of the substrate 100 as the film-forming surface has irregularities, if it is assumed that the main scattering direction points in the normal direction of the substrate 100 as shown in FIG. 1(A), there is a tendency that the film thickness on the lower surface with irregularities is thick but the film thickness on the side surfaces of the irregularities is thin. In this embodiment, by setting the main scattering direction to an oblique incidence direction inclined with respect to the normal direction Z1 of the substrate 100 by using the orientation of the magnet 9, it is possible to promote the deposition of the sputtering particles P on the side surfaces of the irregularities and achieve uniform film thickness.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 2(A), during the movement of the substrate 100 in the M1 direction, the switching unit 12 is used to set the orientation of the magnet 9 so that the main scattering direction becomes an oblique incidence direction D1 inclined by +θ with respect to the normal direction Z1 in the X direction. Thereby, the film formation on the side surface of the irregularities of the substrate 100 that is on the front side (corresponding to the right side in the figure) in the M1 direction is promoted.

[0059] When the substrate 100 reaches the switching point from the forward path to the loop, as shown in FIG. 2(B), the moving direction of the substrate 100 is switched from the M1 direction to the opposite M2 direction. In addition, the switching unit 12 is used to switch the orientation of the magnet 9 so that the main scattering direction becomes an oblique incidence direction D2 inclined by -θ with respect to the normal direction Z1 in the X direction. In FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B), the oblique incidence directions D1 and D2 are in an opposite relationship with respect to the Z1 direction. During the movement of the substrate 100 in the M2 direction, by making the main scattering direction inclined by -θ with respect to the normal direction Z1 in the X direction, the film formation on the side surface of the irregularities of the substrate 100 that is on the front side (corresponding to the left side in the figure) in the M2 direction is promoted. A more uniform film thickness can be formed on the irregularities of the substrate 100 by the reciprocation of the substrate 100.

[0060] Thus, in the present embodiment, the main scattering directions of the sputtering particles P with respect to the substrate 100 are set as the oblique incidence directions D1 and D2, and different oblique incidence directions D1 and D2 are set according to the change in the moving direction of the substrate 100, whereby a more uniform film thickness can be formed on the unevenness. It should be noted that in the present embodiment, although the angle θ is the same in the case of the forward path with the inclination angle +θ and the case of the return path with the inclination angle -θ, they may also be different. In other words, the oblique incidence directions D1 and D2 may also be asymmetric with respect to the normal direction Z1.

[0061] <Second Embodiment>

[0062] FIG. 3(A) and FIG. 3(B) are schematic views of a sputtering apparatus 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3(A) is a view of the sputtering apparatus 1 observed from the side, and FIG. 3(B) is a view of the sputtering apparatus 1 observed from above. The structure of the sputtering apparatus 1 in the second embodiment that is different from the sputtering apparatus 1 in the first embodiment will be described.

[0063] The sputtering apparatus 1 in the present embodiment includes a shielding unit 16. The shielding unit 16 is an anti-adhesion unit that structurally limits the scattering range of the sputtering particles with respect to the substrate 100 during film formation. The shielding unit 16 includes a movable shielding member 18 and a fixed shielding member 17 disposed so as to surround the target 6. The fixed shielding member 17 is a box-shaped member having an opening 17a formed at the top, and the movable shielding member 18 is a flat plate-shaped member that locally opens and closes the opening 17a.

[0064] The opening 17a and the movable shielding member 18 are located between the substrate 100 and the target 6, and the sputtering particles radiated from the target 6 reach the substrate 100 through the opening 17a. Therefore, the portion of the opening 17a that is not blocked by the movable shielding member 18 is the scattering allowable range, and the portion blocked by the movable shielding member 18 is the scattering limiting range.

[0065] The movable shielding member 18 is provided so as to be slidable along the X direction and moves under the driving force of a motor 13'. The driving force of the motor 13' is transmitted to the movable shielding member 18 via a transmission mechanism (not shown). The transmission mechanism is, for example, a ball screw mechanism or a rack and pinion mechanism. The motor 13' also serves as the driving source of the switching unit 12. The driving force of the motor 13' is transmitted to the rotating shaft 14 via a transmission mechanism (not shown). The transmission mechanism is, for example, a gear mechanism.

[0066] In the present embodiment, the switching unit 12 and the shielding unit 16 share the motor 13' as the driving source. By sharing, cost reduction can be achieved, and the switching of the orientation of the magnet 9 can be linked with the movement of the movable shielding member 18. However, it may also be a structure in which driving sources are independently provided for the switching unit 12 and the shielding unit 16 so that they operate independently.

[0067] The movable shielding member 18 is maintained at an anode potential. The cathode potential of the cathode electrode 7 is, for example, about 200 V to 400 V. By maintaining the movable shielding member 18 at an anode potential (for example, a ground potential, the same potential as the wall portion of the vacuum chamber 2), sputtered particles easily adhere to the movable shielding member 18, and the effect of restricting the scattering range of the movable shielding member 18 with respect to the substrate 100 can be improved.

[0068] The film formation operation of the sputtering apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 4(A) and 4(B).

[0069] As shown in FIG. 4(A), while the substrate 100 is moving in the M1 direction, the orientation of the magnet 9 is set by the switching unit 12 in the same manner as in the first embodiment so that the main scattering direction becomes the oblique incidence direction D1. The movable shielding member 18 of the shielding unit 16 covers a part of the opening 17 to form a scattering allowable range 17a'. The scattering allowable range 17a' is a range including the portion where the opening 17 intersects the oblique incidence direction D1, and is a range where the range on the front side in the M1 direction with respect to the central reference line N0 is narrow and the range on the rear side is wide. Thereby, sputtered particles scattered toward the substrate 100 in a direction close to its normal direction can adhere to the movable shielding member 18 to prevent them from reaching the substrate 100. In addition, the deposition rate of sputtered particles on the side surfaces of the unevenness of the substrate 100 can be increased.

[0070] When the substrate 100 reaches the switching point from the forward path to the return path, as shown in FIG. 4(B), the moving direction of the substrate 100 is switched from the M1 direction to the opposite M2 direction. The orientation of the magnet 9 is switched by the switching unit 12 in the same manner as in the first embodiment so that the main scattering direction becomes the oblique incidence direction D2. The shielding unit 16 switches the scattering allowable range 17a' of the sputtered particles by moving the movable shielding member 18. Since the switching unit 12 and the shielding unit 16 share the motor 13' as a drive source, by driving the motor 13', the switching of the orientation of the magnet 9 performed by the switching unit 12 and the switching of the scattering allowable range 17a' performed by the shielding unit 16 can be linked and performed simultaneously.

[0071] The switched scattering allowable range 17a' is a range including the portion where the opening 17 intersects the oblique incidence direction D2, and is a range where the range on the front side in the M2 direction with respect to the central reference line N0 is narrow and the range on the rear side is wide. Thereby, sputtered particles scattered toward the substrate 100 in a direction close to its normal direction can adhere to the movable shielding member 18 to prevent them from reaching the substrate 100. The deposition rate of sputtered particles on the side surfaces of the unevenness of the substrate 100 can be increased. A more uniform film thickness can be formed on the unevenness of the substrate 100 by the reciprocation of the substrate 100.

[0072] The movable shielding member 18 moves to positions that are symmetric with respect to the normal direction Z1 before and after its movement. Before and after the movement of the movable shielding member 18, although the positions of the scattering allowable range 17a' are different, their sizes are the same. However, before and after the movement of the movable shielding member 18, the size of the scattering allowable range 17a' can also be different, and it can also be a position that is asymmetric with respect to the normal direction Z1.

[0073] Thus, in the present embodiment, the main scattering directions of the sputtering particles P with respect to the substrate 100 are set as the oblique incidence directions D1 and D2. In addition, the scattering range of the sputtering particles is restricted by the movable shielding member 18, and different oblique incidence directions D1 and D2 are set according to the change in the movement direction of the substrate 100, and the scattering allowable range 17a' is switched, whereby a more uniform film thickness can be formed on the unevenness.

[0074] <Third Embodiment>

[0075] In the second embodiment, the orientation of the magnet 9 is switched according to the change in the movement direction of the substrate 100 to switch the main scattering direction of the sputtering particles P, but the orientation of the magnet 9 can also be fixed, and only the shielding unit 16 switches the scattering allowable range 17a'. FIGS. 5(A) and 5(B) are explanatory diagrams of the film formation operation in the present embodiment.

[0076] In the present embodiment, the switching unit 12 is not provided, and the central reference line N0 of the magnet 9 points in the Z direction. Although the main scattering direction of the sputtering particles is the normal direction of the substrate 100, the sputtering particles incident on the substrate 100 along the normal direction are blocked by switching the scattering allowable range 17a', and the obliquely incident sputtering particles are allowed to pass through.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 5(A), during the movement of the substrate 100 in the M1 direction, the movable shielding member 18 of the shielding unit 16 covers a part of the opening 17 to form the scattering allowable range 17a'. The movable shielding member 18 covers the range from directly above the target 6 to the front side in the M1 direction including the central reference line N0, and the scattering allowable range 17a' is the range that is separated from the central reference line N0 to the rear side in the M1 direction. The sputtering particles are scattered along the oblique incidence direction D1 from the scattering allowable range 17a' and accumulate on the lower surface of the substrate 100. Thereby, the film formation on the side surface of the unevenness of the substrate 100 that is located on the front side (corresponding to the right side in the figure) in the M1 direction can be promoted.

[0078] When the substrate 100 reaches the switching point from the forward path to the return path, as shown in FIG. 5(B), the movement direction of the substrate 100 is switched from the M1 direction to the opposite M2 direction. The shielding unit 16 switches the scattering allowable range 17a' of the sputtering particles by moving the movable shielding member 18.

[0079] For the scattering allowable range 17a' after switching, the movable shielding member 18 covers the range from directly above the target 6 to the front side in the M2 direction including the central reference line N0, and the scattering allowable range 17a' is the range that is separated from the central reference line N0 toward the rear side in the M2 direction. Sputtering particles are scattered from the scattering allowable range 17a' along the oblique incident direction D2 and accumulate on the lower surface of the substrate 100. Thereby, film formation on the side surface of the unevenness of the substrate 100 that is located on the front side (corresponding to the left side in the figure) in the M2 direction can be promoted.

[0080] The movable shielding member 18 moves to positions that are symmetric with respect to the central reference line N0 before and after its movement. Before and after the movement of the movable shielding member 18, although the positions of the scattering allowable range 17a' are different, their sizes are the same. However, before and after the movement of the movable shielding member 18, the size of the scattering allowable range 17a' can also be different, and it can also be a position that is asymmetric with respect to the normal direction Z1.

[0081] In this way, in the present embodiment, by using the movable shielding member 18 to limit the scattering range of sputtering particles, the sputtering particles P are scattered along the oblique incident directions D1 and D2 with respect to the substrate 100. A more uniform film thickness can be formed on the unevenness of the substrate 100 by reciprocating the substrate 100.

[0082] <Fourth Embodiment>

[0083] In the first embodiment, as the target 6, a rotating target 6 was illustrated, but a flat target can also be used. FIG. 6(A) shows an example thereof. In the illustrated example, a flat target 19 is provided instead of the rotating target 6. The structure of the magnet 9 is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment. As illustrated in FIGS. 6(B) and 6(C), by rotating the rotating shaft 14, the orientation of the flat target 19 and the orientation of the magnet 6 are switched together, whereby the main scattering direction can be switched.

[0084] In addition, in each of the above embodiments, a structure in which sputtering particles are radiated to the substrate above the target has been illustrated, but a structure in which sputtering particles are radiated to the substrate below the target can also be used.

[0085] <Fifth Embodiment>

[0086] In each of the above embodiments, as the unit that relatively moves the substrate 100 and the target 6 during film formation, the moving unit 4 that moves the substrate 100 along the X direction has been illustrated, but the target 6 can also be moved. FIG. 6(D) shows an example thereof.

[0087] The illustrated moving unit 21 includes a guide rail 22 extending in the X direction and a slider 23 guided by the guide rail 22 and capable of moving in the X direction. A pair of support tables 10 are mounted on the slider 23. The moving unit 21 has a drive mechanism such as a linear motor and a ball screw mechanism, and under the action of the driving force of the drive mechanism, the slider 23 reciprocates in the X direction between the solid line position and the dotted line position along the pair of guide rails 22. The position of the substrate 100 is stopped during film formation. While moving the slider 23, sputtering particles are emitted from the target 6 to form a film on the substrate 100.

[0088] By switching the orientation of the magnet 9 during the movement in the forward path direction M11 and the movement in the return path direction M12 of the target 6, the main scattering direction can be switched.

[0089] Even in a structure using the shielding unit 16 as in the second embodiment and the third embodiment, the film formation operation can be performed by mounting the shielding unit 16 on the slider 23 and stopping the substrate 100 and moving the target 6 and the shielding unit 16 during film formation. In this case, the position of the movable shielding member 18 can also be changed during the movement in the forward path direction M11 and the movement in the return path direction M12 to switch the position of the scattering permission range 17a'.

[0090] <Other Embodiments>

[0091] The present invention can also be realized by the following process: a program that implements one or more functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and read and executed by one or more processors in a computer of the system or device. In addition, the present invention can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

[0092] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the gist and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the claims are attached to disclose the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sputtering device, characterized in that, Comprising: A target that causes sputtering particles to scatter toward a substrate; A magnet that is arranged such that the main scattering direction of sputtering particles from the target becomes an oblique incidence direction that is inclined at an angle θ from the normal direction of the substrate toward a specified direction orthogonal to the normal direction, and forms a magnetic field on the surface of the target; A moving mechanism that includes a guide rail extending along the specified direction, a slider guided by the guide rail and capable of moving along the specified direction, and a pair of support tables mounted on the slider and supporting the target, and reciprocates the target and the magnet relative to the substrate along the specified direction on a forward path and a return path; A switching mechanism that changes the direction of movement of the target and the magnet performed by the moving mechanism from the direction of movement in the forward path, i.e., the forward path direction, to the direction of movement in the return path, i.e., the return path direction, and switches the orientation of the magnet relative to the normal direction so as to change the main scattering direction from the first oblique incidence direction in the forward path to a direction opposite to the first oblique incidence direction relative to the normal direction, i.e., the second oblique incidence direction in the return path; And A shielding mechanism that restricts the scattering range of sputtering particles relative to the substrate during film formation, The shielding mechanism includes a movable shielding member and a fixed shielding member arranged to surround the target, The fixed shielding member has an opening formed at the top, and the movable shielding member covers a part of the opening to form a scattering allowable range, The scattering allowable range is a range including a portion where the opening intersects with the first oblique incidence direction or the second oblique incidence direction, and is a range where the range on the front side in the first oblique incidence direction or the second oblique incidence direction is narrow and the range on the rear side is wide with respect to the central reference line of the magnet; The target rotates by the driving force of a first motor provided on a first support table among the pair of support tables; The switching mechanism includes a second motor and a rotating shaft, the second motor is built in a second support table among the pair of support tables, and rotates the rotating shaft; The rotating shaft is supported by the pair of support tables so as to be rotatable, and the magnet is connected to the rotating shaft.

Images