Plasma Spraying Targets with Cryogenic Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing target manufacturing processes for refractory metals and resistive oxides in vacuum deposition techniques face inefficiencies, such as low material yield, high resistivity, and internal stresses, particularly in non-reactive DC sputtering and plasma spraying methods, which limit the production of high-quality thin films with sufficient thickness and stability.
Innovation Solution
A process involving plasma spraying with cryogenic cooling jets and a controlled atmosphere to produce targets with reduced oxygen content and internal stresses, enabling higher material yield and stability, and allowing for the use of refractory metals and resistive oxides in non-reactive DC sputtering, and the creation of thick, monolithic targets with improved bonding and power handling capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional thermal spraying or plasma spraying is used to produce targets, then the target can be manufactured with refractory metals or resistive oxides, but the targets exhibit high internal stresses, high oxygen content, and low material yield
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the thermal parameters of the spraying process by implementing cryogenic cooling during thermal spraying. This parameter change allows the target material to be deposited with controlled cooling rates, reducing internal stresses and oxygen content while improving material yield and target stability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces cryogenic cooling jets as an intermediary element during the thermal spraying process. These cooling jets act as a mediator between the hot plasma spray and the target substrate, controlling the thermal field to reduce internal stresses and improve material deposition efficiency
2Productivity
If higher power deposition rates are used to increase productivity, then thin film production efficiency improves, but internal stresses and material losses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention implements cryogenic cooling to change the thermal parameters during deposition, enabling higher power deposition rates without proportionally increasing material losses. The controlled cooling reduces vaporization losses and improves material utilization efficiency
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional thermal spraying is used without cryogenic cooling, then the process is simpler, but the targets have high oxygen content and high internal stresses
Solution Approach 1:
The invention modifies the thermal parameters by introducing cryogenic cooling during spraying. This parameter change reduces the oxygen content and internal stresses in the deposited target material, improving target stability while maintaining process feasibility
Solution Approach 2:
Cryogenic cooling jets are introduced as an intermediary to control the thermal field during spraying. This intermediary element enables better control over oxygen content and internal stresses without fundamentally changing the spraying process architecture
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 process achieves targets with enhanced material yield, reduced resistivity, and increased thickness, enabling higher power deposition rates and stability, while minimizing material losses and internal stresses, thus improving the efficiency and quality of thin film production.
Implementation Method 1
The invention makes it possible to produce targets by a thermal spraying process and more particularly by a plasma spraying process
Implementation Method 2
The invention makes it possible to produce targets by a thermal spraying process and more particularly by a plasma spraying process with the use, during the spraying, of powerful, optionally cryogenic, cooling jets
Implementation Method 3
The present invention relates to a process for producing a target intended to be used in deposition processes carried out in a vacuum or in an inert or reactive atmosphere, especially by magnetron sputtering or by ion beam sputtering
Data Source
AI summary
Process for producing a target by thermal spraying, especially by plasma spraying, said target comprising at least one compound chosen from refractory metals, resistive oxides and volatile oxides, characterized in that at least one fraction of said compound in the form of a powder composition of said compound is sprayed by thermal spraying, onto at least one surface portion of the target, in a controlled atmosphere and in that powerful cryogenic cooling jets directed onto the target during its construction are used.