Reactive Sputtering Shield Temperature Feedback Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In continuous reactive sputtering processes, film characteristics vary significantly with each processing cycle due to temperature changes in the sputtering apparatus, leading to inconsistent film quality, which is difficult to control, especially when using materials like Ta oxide that change crystal states with temperature.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that measure the temperature of components within the sputtering chamber and adjust the reactive gas flow rate to maintain a stable oxygen partial pressure, compensating for temperature-induced degassing effects, thereby stabilizing film characteristics across multiple processing cycles without reducing target shield life or throughput.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If continuous reactive sputtering processing is performed without temperature control, then productivity is maintained, but film characteristic stability deteriorates due to temperature-induced degassing variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system where the temperature of the shield is continuously monitored by a temperature sensor, and the reactive gas flow rate is automatically adjusted based on the measured temperature. When temperature increases causing degassing, the system increases oxygen supply to compensate, thereby maintaining stable film characteristics while enabling continuous processing without dummy runs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically changes the reactive gas flow rate parameter in response to temperature variations. By adjusting the oxygen flow rate according to the measured shield temperature, the system compensates for temperature-induced degassing effects, maintaining consistent film properties throughout continuous processing cycles without sacrificing productivity.
2Reliability
If dummy run is performed to stabilize shield temperature, then film quality consistency improves, but target shield life and throughput are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The feedback control system eliminates the need for dummy runs by continuously monitoring shield temperature and adjusting reactive gas flow rate in real-time. This allows the shield to be used continuously without periodic stabilization periods, extending target shield life while maintaining film quality consistency through active temperature compensation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables continuous useful processing without interruption for dummy runs. By implementing real-time temperature-based gas flow adjustment, the system maintains film quality consistency throughout continuous operation, maximizing the utilization of the target shield and improving overall throughput.
3Reliability
If reactive gas flow rate is increased to compensate for degassing, then oxygen partial pressure stability improves, but gas consumption and process complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a feedback control mechanism where a temperature sensor monitors shield temperature and a controller automatically adjusts the reactive gas flow rate accordingly. This automated feedback loop maintains oxygen partial pressure stability without requiring complex manual intervention or additional process steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-adjustment by automatically responding to temperature changes through the feedback control mechanism. The controller autonomously modifies gas flow rates based on temperature sensor readings, eliminating the need for external intervention or complex manual control procedures while maintaining stable oxygen partial pressure.
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 approach effectively suppresses film characteristic variations, maintaining consistent specific resistivity throughout multiple depositions, ensuring reliable and efficient reactive sputtering without compromising target shield life or throughput.
Implementation Method 1
A means for fabricating a metal compound such as the metal oxide layer and the like includes reactive sputtering which performs sputtering of a metal target using reactive gas such as oxygen gas and nitrogen gas
Implementation Method 2
reactive sputtering which performs sputtering of a metal target using reactive gas
Implementation Method 3
as the number of times of processing increases, the shield accumulates plasma heat and the shield temperature increases due to the accumulated heat, and then the degassing amount increases
Implementation Method 4
The cause of the specific resistance increase includes that an oxygen gas amount taken-in (gettered) by a metal compound adhering to a shield provided in a sputtering apparatus changes depending on a case
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a reactive sputtering method and a reactive sputtering apparatus which suppress a film quality change caused by a temperature variation in continuous substrate processing. An embodiment of the present invention performs reactive sputtering while adjusting a flow rate of reactive gas according to the temperature of a constituent member facing a sputtering space. Specifically, a temperature sensor is provided on a shield and the flow rate is adjusted according to the temperature. Thereby, even when a degassing amount of a film adhering to the shield changes, a partial pressure of reactive gas can be set to a predetermined value. For a resistance change layer constituting a ReRAM, a perovskite material such as PrCaMn03 (PCMO), LaSrMnO3 (LSMO), and GdBaCoxOy (GBCO), a two-element type transition metal oxide material which has a composition shifted from a stoichiometric one, such as nickel oxide (NiO), vanadium oxide (V2O5), and the like are used.