Shield Board Gas Flow Control for Sputtering Film Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
Reactive sputtering apparatuses face challenges in maintaining reproducibility of film quality due to changes in shape and size of the shield board during recovery processes, leading to variations in reactive gas flow rates and distribution, which affect film formation.
Innovation Solution
A film forming apparatus with a shield board surrounding the sputtering space, featuring separate gas introduction means for the sputtering space and the shield-outside space, and a gas flow ratio control mechanism to adjust the flow rates, ensuring consistent gas distribution and pressure within the shield-inside and shield-outside spaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If the shield board is recovered (cleaned and reused), then device complexity and cost are reduced, but the shape and size of the shield board change, causing variations in reactive gas flow rates and distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the parameter control approach from geometric (relying on fixed shield board dimensions) to flow-based (controlling gas flow rates directly). By measuring and controlling the flow rates of reactive gas through the shield-inside space and shield-outside space separately, the system compensates for shield board shape changes during recovery, maintaining consistent film quality
Solution Approach 2:
The invention implements feedback control by measuring the flow rates of reactive gas and using these measurements to adjust gas supply. Flow rate meters monitor the actual gas flow, and this information feeds back to the gas supply control to maintain desired flow ratios, compensating for shield board variations
2Manufacturing precision
If separate gas introduction means are used for shield-inside space and shield-outside space, then control precision over gas distribution is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gas supply system is segmented into separate introduction paths: one for the shield-inside space and another for the shield-outside space. Each path has its own flow control, allowing independent adjustment of gas distribution to different regions, thereby achieving precise control over reactive gas flow patterns
Solution Approach 2:
The gas supply system performs multiple functions: it supplies reactive gas to both shield-inside and shield-outside spaces, controls flow rates independently, and enables flexible adjustment of gas distribution ratios. This multi-functionality is achieved through a unified gas supply apparatus with separate controllable paths
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
This configuration reduces variations in reactive gas flow rates and maintains reproducibility of film quality by controlling the gas flow ratios, even with changes in shield board size and position, thereby stabilizing the film forming process.
Implementation Method 1
performing a film forming process on a substrate in a reduced-pressure environment using a vacuum pump and a vacuum chamber
Implementation Method 2
a physical vapor deposition apparatus and a physical vapor deposition method for forming a film by causing a film forming material emitted from a target to react with a reactive gas
Implementation Method 3
causing emitted metallic particles to react with a reactive gas such as nitrogen or oxygen. In this technique, a reactive gas, e.g. oxygen or nitrogen, is introduced into a vacuum chamber together with a sputtering gas
Implementation Method 4
molecules of the reactive gas and metallic particles emitted from the target through the sputtering are caused to react with each other, and thereby a thin film of generated reaction compounds is formed on a substrate
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a film forming apparatus and a film forming method which are unlikely to be affected by changes in size and shape of a shield board caused by a recovery process. A film forming apparatus includes a shield board surrounding a sputtering space between a process-target substrate on a stage and a target facing each other in a vacuum chamber, and forms a film on the process-target substrate by causing at least one kind of reactive gas and a film forming material to react with each other. The film forming apparatus is configured to control a ratio of the flow rate of the gas to be introduced into the sputtering space to the flow rate of the gas to be introduced into a space between an inner wall of the vacuum chamber and the shield board, based on a pressure value of the sputtering space measured by pressure detection means.