Profiled Sputtering Target Structure for Lower Weight and Recycling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current sputtering target products are costly due to their heavy weight, which increases handling difficulties and uneven erosion patterns, leading to inefficiencies in material usage.
Innovation Solution
A sputtering target product design featuring a target with a non-sputtered side profiled to have plane symmetry protrusions and recesses, using an insert material with lower specific gravity than the target material, which is bonded to a backing plate or tube, allowing for reduced weight and improved handling, and a method for recycling involving heat treatment and etching to separate components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If heavy metal materials are used for the sputtering target to form thin coatings, then the coating quality and performance are improved, but the overall weight of the sputtering target product increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sputtering target is divided into two distinct parts: a heavy metal target component for coating formation and a lightweight insert material component for structural support. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently - the target material maintains its heavy metal composition for coating quality while the insert material uses lighter density materials to reduce overall weight.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the sputtering target product are assigned different material properties. The target area requires heavy metal for effective sputtering and coating quality, while the insert material region uses lighter materials. This local differentiation of material quality resolves the contradiction between needing heavy materials for performance and wanting light materials for weight reduction.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If the target thickness is increased to compensate for uneven erosion patterns, then the erosion resistance and durability are improved, but the overall weight and handling difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The target structure is segmented into the actual sputtering target material and a separate insert material component. The insert material provides structural support and erosion resistance, allowing the target material to be thinner while maintaining overall durability. This separates the functions of sputtering (target material) and structural support (insert material).
Solution Approach 2:
The sputtering target product uses a composite structure combining target material with insert material of different properties. The insert material, having lower specific gravity than the target material, provides structural integrity and erosion resistance, enabling the use of thinner target material sections while maintaining durability and reducing weight.
3Reliability
If a uniform thick target design is used to ensure adequate material throughout the erosion cycle, then the erosion resistance is improved, but the material usage efficiency and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The insert material is positioned specifically in regions where structural support is needed during erosion, rather than uniformly throughout the entire target. This localized placement of support material provides erosion resistance where required while minimizing unnecessary material usage, improving both reliability and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert material, having lower specific gravity and different erosion characteristics, can be selectively removed or recovered after the target material is consumed. This allows for more efficient material usage cycles where the durable insert component can be reused with new target material, improving overall productivity and reducing waste.
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 design reduces the overall weight and cost of the sputtering target product by using lighter metals for the insert material, enhancing handling and efficiency, while the recycling method facilitates easier separation and reuse of components.
Implementation Method 1
the insert material layer is formed so as to adhere closely to the profiled side
Implementation Method 2
the separating includes softening or melting the insert material by heat treatment
Implementation Method 3
the separating includes etching the insert material
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure is related to reducing the cost of sputtering target products. Provided is a sputtering target product wherein: the sputtering target product includes a target, a backing plate or backing tube, and insert material layer; at least a part of the non-sputtering side of the target is profiled so as to have protrusions and recesses that have plane symmetry; the insert material layer is formed so as to adhere closely to the profiled side, and the insert material is made of metal with specific gravity that is at least less than those of the metal constituting the target.