A magnetron sputtering coating device

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of magnetron sputtering coating equipment, and particularly relates to a magnetron sputtering coating equipment which at least comprises a sputtering chamber and a sample inlet chamber; a front-opening sputtering chamber door is arranged at the front of the sputtering chamber, a workpiece disc system is arranged above the sputtering chamber, and a target gun and an ion source system are further arranged in the sputtering chamber; a controller is connected to a target gun motor and controls the target gun motor, a cathode structure is installed on the target gun motor, an anode cover is arranged outside the cathode structure, a target material fixing ring is fixed to the target material through fixing bolts above the anode cover; the workpiece disc system is provided with a workpiece disc and a rotating mechanism, the workpiece disc is used to load workpieces, and the rotating mechanism makes the workpiece disc rotate uniformly at a set rotating speed, so that reaction ions provided by the ion source and ionized ions on the target material react and a film layer with good uniformity is obtained. The application enhances the consistency of the quality of film coating of different batches of equipment, reduces the air release source of the main process chamber, maintains the purity of the process environment, and ensures the purity of the film coating quality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of magnetron sputtering coating equipment. Specifically, it relates to a magnetron sputtering coating equipment and a sputtering coating method. Background Technology

[0002] Magnetron sputtering is a type of physical vapor deposition (PVD). Its working principle involves electrons, under the influence of an electric field, colliding with argon atoms as they fly towards the substrate, ionizing them to produce Ar ions and new electrons. The new electrons fly towards the substrate, while the Ar ions, accelerated by the electric field, fly towards the cathode target and bombard the target surface with high energy, causing sputtering of the target material. In the sputtered particles, neutral target atoms or molecules are deposited on the substrate to form a thin film, while the generated secondary electrons are affected by electric and magnetic fields, resulting in E×B drift, with their trajectory approximating a cycloid. If a toroidal magnetic field is used, the electrons move in a near-cycloid pattern on the target surface, their paths are not only long but also confined to a plasma region near the target surface, where they ionize a large amount of Ar ions to bombard the target material, thus achieving a high deposition rate. As the number of collisions increases, the energy of the secondary electrons is exhausted, they gradually move away from the target surface, and finally deposit on the substrate under the influence of the electric field E.

[0003] Existing reactive magnetron sputtering equipment represents a new generation of technology in magnetron sputtering systems. It typically employs an ion source in conjunction with magnetron sputtering to obtain precise optical films. Its advantages include high film quality, high throughput, good process stability, high deposition rate, and low maintenance costs. Regarding the ion source's placement, it is generally located inside the sputtering chamber. The disadvantage of this placement is that, due to variations in equipment manufacturing and angle adjustment between different batches, the consistency and stability of the deposition quality can vary. Furthermore, the control lines, power lines, process gas pipes, and cooling water pipes of the ion source located inside the sputtering chamber are exposed to atmospheric conditions (10⁻⁶) during reactive magnetron sputtering. 5 Pa) to process vacuum (10 -4 With a change of 9 orders of magnitude or under high temperature heating in a vacuum chamber, some existing precipitates or impurities on the ion source's control lines, power lines, process gas pipes, and cooling water pipes may release some molecules or ions, affecting the purity of the process environment and indirectly affecting the purity of the compound's film. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the problems existing in the current technology, the present invention provides a magnetron sputtering coating equipment and a vacuum coating method.

[0005] The complete technical solution of this invention includes:

[0006] A magnetron sputtering coating apparatus, comprising at least a sputtering chamber and a workpiece loading chamber;

[0007] The sputtering chamber is equipped with a front-opening sputtering chamber door, a workpiece disk system above the sputtering chamber, and a target gun, an ion source system, and a magnetron sputtering system inside the sputtering chamber.

[0008] The magnetron sputtering system includes a controller that is connected to and controls the target gun motor. The target gun motor is equipped with a cathode structure, and an anode cover is provided outside the cathode structure. The target material above the anode cover is fixed with screws by a fixing ring.

[0009] The workpiece disk system includes a workpiece disk and a rotating mechanism. The workpiece disk is used to load the workpiece, and the rotating mechanism ensures that the workpiece disk rotates uniformly at a set speed, resulting in a coating layer with good uniformity formed by the reaction of ions provided by the ion source and ions ionized from the target material.

[0010] Furthermore, the ion source system includes an RFID tag, a communication device, and a reader; the RFID tag includes a chip and a built-in communication module, the chip storing the RFID tag's data as a data carrier for the RFID system; the built-in communication module is used to communicate with the RFID communication device; the reader is responsible for reading / writing RFID tag information, and its main task is to control the RFID module to send read signals to the RFID tag, receive the RFID tag's response, and decode the RFID tag's object identification information, host object identification information, and other relevant information on the tag.

[0011] Furthermore, the communication device is used to send and receive data between the RFID tag and the reader.

[0012] Furthermore, the sputtering chamber has a ship-shaped structure.

[0013] Furthermore, the sputtering chamber also includes a vacuum system, a heating system, a process gas system, and a power supply system.

[0014] Furthermore, the workpiece loading chamber system has a front-opening door structure, is designed with clamps for multiple workpieces, and is equipped with an independent vacuum system.

[0015] Furthermore, the magnetron sputtering coating equipment also includes a workpiece transfer chamber system, which is an upper-opening cover structure, equipped with a robotic arm. The robotic arm is responsible for picking up and delivering workpieces between the workpiece loading chamber and the sputtering chamber, and is equipped with a vacuum system.

[0016] Furthermore, the magnetron sputtering coating equipment is a single-wafer reactive magnetron sputtering system, a single-wafer reactive magnetron sputtering system with a workpiece loading chamber, or a multi-wafer reactive magnetron sputtering system with a workpiece loading chamber, or a multi-cavity boat-shaped reactive magnetron sputtering system, and the sputtering mode can be upward or downward.

[0017] A method for magnetron sputtering coating using the aforementioned equipment.

[0018] The advantages of this invention over the prior art are:

[0019] 1. Regarding the sputtering chamber structure, the traditional rectangular sputtering chamber is redesigned as a boat shape, with a sloping side added to the rectangular sputtering chamber. The ion source is installed in a semi-embedded manner, with the control lines, power lines, process gas pipes, and cooling water pipes of the ion source connected to the exposed part of the ion source. The position of the ion source and the wiring of its control lines, power lines, process gas pipes, and cooling water pipes to the ion source are redesigned. The ion source is fixed (angle is not adjustable), which enhances the consistency of coating quality across different batches of equipment, reduces the sources of gas venting in the sputtering chamber, and maintains the purity of the process environment to ensure the purity of the coating quality.

[0020] 2. Multiple sputtering chambers (containing multiple workpiece loading chambers, allowing for the simultaneous production of multiple workpieces) are configured within the same equipment. This meets the requirements for batch production of magnetron sputtering coating. It ensures the consistency of coating quality across different batches of products, reduces outgassing sources within the sputtering chamber during the process, and guarantees the vacuum of the sputtering chamber and the purity of the coated film. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall magnetron sputtering coating equipment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a magnetron sputtering system.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the hull-shaped structure of the splash chamber.

[0024] In the figure, 1-sputtering chamber, 2-sputtering chamber door, 3-workpiece disk system, 4-ion source system, 5-magnetron sputtering system, 6-controller, 7-target gun motor, 8-anode cover, 9-fixing bolt, 10-target fixing ring, 11-target, 12-top surface, 13-bottom surface, 14-first side surface, 15-second side surface, 16-sloping surface. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to embodiments and accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that the embodiments and drawings are for illustrative purposes only and do not constitute any limitation on the scope of protection of the present invention. All reasonable modifications and combinations included within the inventive spirit of the present invention fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] This invention discloses a magnetron sputtering coating apparatus and a sputtering coating method. The apparatus includes a sputtering chamber 1, a workpiece loading chamber, and a workpiece transfer chamber.

[0027] The structure of the sputtering chamber 1 is as follows: Figure 1 As shown, a front-opening sputtering chamber door 2 is provided in front of the sputtering chamber, a workpiece disk system 3 is provided above the sputtering chamber, and an ion source system 4 and a magnetron sputtering system 5 are also provided inside the sputtering chamber.

[0028] The workpiece disk system 3 is provided with a workpiece disk and a rotating mechanism. The workpiece disk is used to load the workpiece, and the rotating mechanism makes the workpiece disk rotate evenly at a set speed. The purpose is to ensure that the ions provided by the ion source and the ions ionized on the target material react fully, so as to achieve good uniformity of the compound film.

[0029] The ion source system 4 comprises three parts: an RFID tag, a communication device, and a reader. The RFID tag includes a chip and a built-in communication module. The chip stores the RFID tag's data, serving as the data carrier for the RFID system. The built-in communication module communicates with the RFID communication device. The reader is responsible for reading / writing RFID tag information. Its main tasks are controlling the RFID module to send read signals to the RFID tag, receiving the RFID tag's response, and decoding the RFID tag's object identification information, host object identification information, and other relevant information on the tag. The communication device is used to send and receive data between the RFID tag and the reader.

[0030] The magnetron sputtering system 5, as shown in Figure 2 As shown, it includes a controller 6, which is connected to and controls the target gun motor 7. The target gun cathode structure is installed on the target gun motor 7. An anode cover 8 is provided outside the cathode structure. Above the anode cover, the target material fixing ring 10 fixes the target material 11 by fixing bolts 9.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, the sputtering chamber used in this invention has a boat-shaped structure. In its longitudinal section, it includes a top surface 12, a bottom surface 13, a first side surface 14 perpendicular to the top surface 12 and the bottom surface 13, a second side surface 15 perpendicular to the top surface, and an inclined surface 16 connecting the second side surface and the bottom surface. The inclined surface 16 is designed with an installation port for mounting the ion source system 4, through which the ion source system is mounted. The semi-embedded ion source system provides ions of the reaction gas. The ion source is installed in a semi-embedded form, with the control lines, power lines, process gas pipes, and cooling water pipes connected to the exposed portion of the ion source. Currently, all types of wires and pipes of the ion source are located within the sputtering chamber. The temperature inside the chamber is high, and all control and power lines, gas pipes, and water pipes are venting sources. Furthermore, their materials are various polymers and other materials. During sputtering, due to the high temperature inside the chamber, some materials inevitably vaporize and diffuse within the chamber, while some condense on the sputtered surface of the workpiece, increasing the vacuuming time and causing a decrease in coating quality. Semi-embedded installation of the ion source can reduce the outgassing source in the sputtering chamber, maintain the purity of the process environment, and obtain purer compound films. The quality and stability of compound films prepared by different equipment and batches have small differences and good consistency.

[0032] In this invention, the design principle of the inclined plane 16 is based on the radius of 2 / 3 of the radius from the center of the ion source to the center of the workpiece disk in the workpiece disk system 3, and the installation position of the ion source is designed accordingly.

[0033] On the other hand, since this invention changes the traditional rectangular chamber into a boat-shaped sputtering chamber with a sloping surface, the support stability of the chamber is different from that of the traditional chamber. Therefore, in terms of the design of the size and angle of the sloping surface, it is necessary to comprehensively consider the size and weight of the overall chamber and ion source, the angle and distance between the ion source and the workpiece disk, and the weight of each component, so as to ensure the support stability of the chamber during the vapor deposition process and extend the service life of the equipment.

[0034] Among the parameters mentioned above, since the ray emitted from the center of the ion source reaches a point at 2 / 3 of the radius from the center of the workpiece disk, the angle between the inclined plane and the ground, as well as the distance between the ion source and the workpiece disk, are fixed values. Specifically: the angle between the inclined plane and the bottom surface is 120°; the measured distance between the center point of the ion source surface and the point at 2 / 3 of the radius from the center of the workpiece disk is 225mm; and the angle between the straight line from the center point of the ion source surface to the point at 2 / 3 of the radius from the center of the workpiece disk and the horizontal direction of the workpiece disk is 30°. Furthermore, the ion source is installed on the inclined plane at a distance of 160mm from the starting point of the bottom edge of the inclined plane to the center of the inclined plane.

[0035] The sputtering chamber also includes a vacuum system, a heating system, a process gas system, and a power supply system.

[0036] The workpiece loading chamber system has a front-opening door structure and is designed with individual multi-workpiece clamps, a single-piece conveyor system, or a combination of multi-workpiece clamps and a single-piece conveyor system, and is equipped with an independent vacuum system.

[0037] The workpiece transfer chamber system has an upper-opening cover structure and is equipped with a robotic arm. The robotic arm is responsible for picking up and transferring workpieces between the workpiece loading chamber and the sputtering chamber, and is also equipped with a vacuum system.

[0038] Based on the above sputtering chamber, workpiece loading chamber, and workpiece transfer chamber system, this magnetron sputtering coating equipment can be combined into a single-wafer reactive magnetron sputtering system, a single-wafer reactive magnetron sputtering system with a workpiece loading chamber, a multi-wafer reactive magnetron sputtering system with a workpiece loading chamber, or a multi-cavity boat-shaped reactive magnetron sputtering system. The sputtering mode can be upward or downward.

[0039] The single-plate reactive magnetron sputtering equipment includes a sputtering chamber, a workpiece disk rotation system, a single target gun system, a vacuum system, a power supply system, a semi-embedded ion source system, and a process gas system.

[0040] This system is a compact reactive magnetron sputtering system with a small footprint, simple operation and maintenance, and is suitable for the trial production of small batches of single-layer compound film workpieces.

[0041] Magnetron sputtering coating equipment can also be a single-plate reactive magnetron sputtering system with a workpiece loading chamber. This system includes a sputtering chamber, a workpiece loading chamber conveying system, a workpiece disk rotation system, a single target gun system, a vacuum system, a power supply system, a semi-embedded ion source system, and a process gas system. The sputtering chamber is a reactive magnetron sputtering chamber. The workpiece loading chamber conveying system includes a conveying robot for loading (workpiece loading chamber to sputtering chamber) and unloading (sputtering chamber to workpiece loading chamber). A high-vacuum isolation valve separates the workpiece loading chamber and the sputtering chamber. The workpiece disk rotation system ensures the workpiece disk rotates uniformly at a set speed, allowing for a thorough reaction between the reactive ions provided by the ion source and the ions ionized on the target, resulting in a highly uniform compound film. The target gun system provides the target ions.

[0042] The vacuum system structure is as follows: the workpiece loading chamber and the sputtering chamber each have their own independent vacuum systems. The workpiece loading chamber is equipped with a low-vacuum pumping system, while the sputtering chamber is equipped with both low-vacuum and high-vacuum pumping systems. During the coating process, the sputtering chamber must achieve the required high vacuum level P for the coating process. D Before coating, it is necessary to first confirm that the vacuum level in the process chamber is higher than the switching vacuum level P. S If it is higher than the switching vacuum level P S A high-vacuum pumping system can be used directly to achieve a high vacuum level P in the process. DConversely, a low-vacuum pumping system is needed to evacuate the sputtering chamber to the switching vacuum level P. S Then, a high-vacuum pumping system is used to evacuate to the process high-vacuum level P. D .

[0043] In existing technologies, during multi-batch coating processes, after completing one batch of coating, before sampling and injection and proceeding with the coating of the next batch of workpieces, the sputtering chamber needs to be evacuated from atmospheric pressure to a switching vacuum level P using a low-vacuum pumping system. S Subsequently, a high-vacuum pumping system was used to achieve the high vacuum level P required for the process. D This process usually takes about 30 minutes.

[0044] In this invention, when performing multiple batch coating processes, taking a multi-workpiece loading chamber plus sputtering chamber structure as an example, after completing one batch of coating processes, the vacuum degree in the sputtering chamber is the process high vacuum degree P. D The vacuum level in the workpiece loading chamber is the second vacuum level, P2. At this point, the high-vacuum isolation valve between the process chamber and the workpiece loading chamber is opened, and the workpiece is transferred. The coated workpiece is transferred from the sputtering chamber to the multi-piece device in the workpiece loading chamber, and the next workpiece to be coated is transferred to the main chamber. After the transfer is complete, the high-vacuum isolation valve is closed. During this process, gas exchange occurs between the process chamber and the workpiece loading chamber, and the vacuum level in the sputtering chamber decreases to a level between P2 and P2. D The vacuum level P3 is between P2 and P3. Before performing the coating process on the next workpiece, the vacuum level P3 is restored from the current low vacuum P3 to the high vacuum P required for the process. D The time can be shortened to 3-5 minutes or less. In specific magnetron sputtering processes, the selectable parameter is P. D P1 is 5E-6 Torr, P2 is 4E-2 Torr, and P3 is 5E-4 Torr.

[0045] The overall design and coating methods described above save time and increase production efficiency. Furthermore, the compound films deposited using different equipment exhibit good purity and consistency with minimal deviation.

[0046] Preferably, the magnetron sputtering coating equipment of the present invention can also be a multi-plate coating equipment with a workpiece loading chamber, including a multi-plate system with a workpiece loading chamber. It is designed with a robot and a fixture for loading workpieces, and can load multiple workpieces at one time. Under a relative vacuum, it can complete batch coating, with higher production efficiency and relatively better coating quality stability.

[0047] Preferably, the magnetron sputtering coating equipment of the present invention can also be a multi-cavity ship-type reactive magnetron sputtering system, including a multi-workpiece loading chamber system, a workpiece transfer chamber system, a sputtering chamber system, and high-vacuum isolation valves separating the workpiece loading chamber and each sputtering chamber from the workpiece transfer chamber, enabling independent vacuum for each chamber. It can simultaneously meet different magnetron sputtering coating processes, with processes executed in different sputtering chambers not interfering with each other, and can also be combined for use in the same process.

[0048] The above-described embodiments are merely some implementation methods of this application. For those skilled in the art, various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the inventive concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A magnetron sputtering coating apparatus, characterized in that, It should include at least a sputtering chamber and a workpiece loading chamber; The sputtering chamber is equipped with a front-opening sputtering chamber door, a workpiece disk system above the sputtering chamber, and a target gun, an ion source system, and a magnetron sputtering system inside the sputtering chamber. The magnetron sputtering system includes a controller, which is connected to and controls the target gun motor. The target gun motor is equipped with a cathode structure, and an anode cover is provided outside the cathode structure. Above the anode cover, a target fixing ring fixes the target material with fixing bolts. The workpiece disk system is equipped with a workpiece disk and a rotating mechanism. The workpiece disk is used to load the workpiece, and the rotating mechanism makes the workpiece disk rotate evenly at a set speed, so that the ions of the reaction gas provided by the ion source react with the ions ionized on the target material. The sputtering chamber has a ship-shaped structure; in its longitudinal section, it includes a top surface, a bottom surface, a first side surface perpendicular to the top surface and the bottom surface, a second side surface perpendicular to the top surface, and an inclined surface connecting the second side surface and the bottom surface. The inclined surface is designed with an installation port for installing the ion source system, and the ion source system is installed on the inclined surface through the port. The ion source system provides ions of the reaction gas. The ion source is installed in a semi-embedded form. The control line, power line, process gas pipe, and cooling water pipe of the ion source are connected to the part of the ion source exposed to the air. The installation position of the ion source is designed based on the radius of the ray emitted from the center of the ion source to 2 / 3 of the radius of the workpiece disk, starting from the center of the workpiece disk. The angle between the inclined plane and the bottom surface is 120°. The distance between the center point of the ion source surface and the point at 2 / 3 of the radius of the workpiece disk is 225mm. The angle between the straight line between the center point of the ion source surface and the point at 2 / 3 of the radius of the workpiece disk and the horizontal direction of the workpiece disk is 30°. The installation position of the ion source on the inclined plane is 160mm from the starting point of the bottom inclined plane to the center of the inclined plane.

2. The magnetron sputtering coating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sputtering chamber also includes a vacuum system, a heating system, a process gas system, and a power supply system.

3. The magnetron sputtering coating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The workpiece loading chamber system has a front-opening door structure, is designed with clamps for multiple workpieces, and is equipped with an independent vacuum system.

4. The magnetron sputtering coating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The magnetron sputtering coating equipment also includes a workpiece transfer chamber system, which is an upper-opening cover structure. It is equipped with a robotic arm that is responsible for picking up and dropping workpieces between the workpiece loading chamber and the sputtering chamber, and is also equipped with a vacuum system.

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