Cr-Si Sintered Body Composition for Crack-Resistant Sputtering Targets
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Solution Overview
Problem
CrSi2-based sintered bodies used in thin film production exhibit low strength, leading to cracking issues during sputtering and film formation, and existing methods like thermal spraying and melting do not adequately enhance strength or control crystal texture.
Innovation Solution
A Cr—Si-based sintered body is produced using a rapidly quenched alloy powder with a stoichiometric composition of CrSi2 phase at 60 wt % or more, achieving high density and small grain size, and minimizing oxygen content to prevent cracking and improve flexural strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a sputtering target of CrSi2 is produced by a thermal spraying method, then the target can be formed, but the strength is not increased sufficiently at sites where the distribution of Cr is small
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the particle size parameter of the CrSi2 powder to 10 μm or less, which fundamentally alters the sintering behavior and strength characteristics. This parameter change enables sufficient strength increase even when Cr distribution is not uniform, resolving the contradiction between strength improvement and composition stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by ensuring that the fine CrSi2 particles (10 μm or less) are distributed throughout the sintered body, creating locally optimized regions with high strength characteristics. This local refinement compensates for areas where Cr distribution may be insufficient, achieving overall strength improvement.
2Strength
If a composition having a fine eutectic texture is produced by a melting method, then the crystal texture is refined, but strength increase cannot be achieved with a composition in which the proportion of the eutectic texture is small and many primary crystals are present
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the particle size parameter to 10 μm or less, which fundamentally alters the sintering mechanism. This parameter change enables the formation of a fine-grained sintered structure that achieves high strength regardless of the initial crystal texture proportions, resolving the contradiction between strength increase and crystal texture control.
3Productivity
If the size of the composition is increased, then the target can be made larger for higher productivity, but it becomes difficult to control the crystal texture due to the difference in the cooling rate, and the unevenness of strength becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-processing the CrSi2 into fine particles (10 μm or less) before sintering. This preliminary size reduction ensures that even when large-sized sintered bodies are produced for high productivity, the fine particle structure enables uniform sintering and consistent strength throughout the entire target, eliminating crystal texture control issues.
4Productivity
If CrSi2-based sintered body is used as sputtering target, then thin film production is enabled, but cracking occurs during processing of sputtering target and during discharging in film formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the particle size parameter to 10 μm or less, which fundamentally improves the sintered body's mechanical properties. This parameter change achieves flexural strength of 100 MPa or more, enabling the sputtering target to withstand processing and high-power discharge without cracking, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The resulting sintered body exhibits high strength, preventing cracking under high power output and increasing productivity in film formation, with reduced particle generation and improved yield ratio.
Implementation Method 1
a sintered body is obtained by using a rapidly quenched alloy powder such as a gas atomized powder
Implementation Method 2
a sintered body is obtained by using a rapidly quenched alloy powder such as a gas atomized powder
Implementation Method 3
Cr—Si-based sintered body comprising Cr (chromium) and silicon (Si)
Data Source
AI summary
It is difficult for a Cr—Si-based sintered body composed of chromium silicide (CrSi2) and silicon (Si) to have high strength.Provided is a Cr—Si-based sintered body including Cr (chromium) and silicon (Si), in which the crystal structure attributed by X-ray diffraction is composed of chromium silicide (CrSi2) and silicon (Si), a CrSi2 phase is present at 60 wt % or more in a bulk, a density of the sintered body is 95% or more, and an average grain size of the CrSi2 phase is 60 μm or less.