Sputtering Target Plates Uniform Texture Cross Rolling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing sputtering target plates result in non-uniform texture structures, leading to unpredictability in sputtering rates and film thickness variations, and are prone to defects and high production costs.
Innovation Solution
A method involving sectioning and cross rolling of cylindrical billets to produce target plates with uniform texture and grain size, using techniques like vacuum annealing to achieve near-net shape blanks with reduced banding factors and high purity, allowing for consistent film deposition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If multiple cycles of forging techniques, rolling, and heat-treatment are used to produce uniform texture, then texture uniformity is improved, but device complexity and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The billet is divided into multiple segments (quarters) through sequential cutting operations. This segmentation allows each segment to be processed independently through rolling, ensuring uniform deformation and texture development throughout the entire target while simplifying the overall process control
Solution Approach 2:
The billet is pre-cut into quarters before rolling operations. This preliminary segmentation prepares the material in an optimal configuration for subsequent rolling, ensuring uniform texture development without requiring multiple complex forging and heat-treatment cycles
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple cycles of forging techniques are used to produce uniform texture, then texture uniformity is improved, but productivity decreases due to defects and reduced yield
Solution Approach 1:
Dividing the billet into quarters before rolling prevents defect propagation that occurs in traditional multi-cycle forging. Each quarter is processed independently, ensuring that defects in one segment do not compromise the entire target, thereby maintaining high yield while achieving uniform texture
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces complex multi-cycle forging and heat-treatment mechanical processes with a simplified sequence of cutting and rolling operations. This substitution reduces the number of process cycles, minimizes defect generation, and improves overall production yield while maintaining texture uniformity
3Manufacturing precision
If traditional forging and rolling methods are used, then production cost increases, but texture uniformity is achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The billet is pre-segmented into quarters before rolling, which simplifies the subsequent processing steps. This preliminary action eliminates the need for multiple expensive forging and heat-treatment cycles, reducing production cost while achieving the required texture uniformity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention substitutes expensive multi-cycle forging and heat-treatment processes with a more economical sequence of cutting and rolling operations. This mechanical process substitution significantly reduces production cost while maintaining texture uniformity through the quartering approach
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 method ensures uniform texture and grain size throughout the target plates, resulting in improved film uniformity with variations in thickness and sheet resistance of 3% or less, enhancing sputtering performance and yield while reducing production costs.
Implementation Method 1
cross rolling each of the half cylindrical blanks to form a target
Implementation Method 2
using techniques like vacuum annealing to achieve near-net shape blanks with reduced banding factors and high purity
Data Source
AI summary
A method of making a metal or metal alloy target having the steps of providing a billet, the billet having a generally cylindrical configuration and having a central axis, cutting the billet in half parallel to the central axis to form at least a half cylindrical blank, and cross rolling the half cylindrical blank to form a target.