Sputtering Target Dehydrogenation for Vacuum Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
The degree of vacuum in sputtering chambers is not adequately increased due to high hydrogen partial pressure, primarily attributed to hydrogen occlusion on the surface of sputtering targets and coils during their production, particularly during mechanical processing like cutting and polishing.
Innovation Solution
Heating the surface of sputtering targets and coils under a vacuum or inert gas atmosphere before installation in a sputtering apparatus to reduce hydrogen adsorption or occlusion, with specific temperature and measurement methods to regulate hydrogen content to 500 µL/cm² or less, ensuring effective dehydrogenation and preventing re-adsorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If mechanical processing (cutting and polishing) is performed on the target surface to smoothen it, then the film uniformity and stability are improved, but hydrogen occlusion increases and the degree of vacuum decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing heating treatment on the target surface before sputtering to remove hydrogen occlusion that was introduced during mechanical processing. This pre-treatment eliminates the harmful hydrogen before it can negatively affect the sputtering process, thereby resolving the contradiction between achieving smooth surface for film uniformity and preventing hydrogen occlusion.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If heating treatment is applied to remove hydrogen occlusion, then the degree of vacuum increases, but the surface hydrogen content must be precisely controlled to avoid re-adsorption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the heating temperature and atmosphere composition during the heating treatment process. By optimizing these parameters, the treatment effectively removes hydrogen occlusion while preventing re-adsorption, thus increasing the degree of vacuum without compromising hydrogen content control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an inert gas atmosphere during heating treatment to prevent re-adsorption of hydrogen on the heated target surface. This inert environment isolates the target from hydrogen sources, allowing effective hydrogen removal while maintaining precise control over the final hydrogen content.
3Productivity
If conventional mechanical processing is used to improve processing efficiency, then productivity increases, but hydrogen occlusion on the surface increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the extraction principle by removing hydrogen from the target surface through heating treatment after mechanical processing. This separates the beneficial effect of mechanical processing (smooth surface for film uniformity) from the harmful effect (hydrogen occlusion), extracting only the desirable outcome while eliminating the adverse one.
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 reduces hydrogen content on the target and coil surfaces, enhancing the vacuum degree, achieving stable and uniform plasma, and improving film uniformity and resistance to electro-migration, while maintaining the structural integrity of the targets and coils.
Implementation Method 1
Heating the surface of sputtering targets and coils under a vacuum or inert gas atmosphere before installation in a sputtering apparatus to reduce hydrogen adsorption or occlusion
Implementation Method 2
heating of the surface of a target and/or a coil before being installed in a sputtering apparatus (vacuum chamber). This can provide the sputtering target and/or coil which have effects of reducing adsorption or occlusion of hydrogen to the surface of the target
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
Provided is a sputtering target and/or a coil disposed at the periphery of a plasma-generating region for confining plasma. The target and/or the coil has a surface to be eroded having a hydrogen content of 500 µL/cm2 or less. In dealing with reduction in the hydrogen content of the surface of the target and/or the coil, the process of producing the target and/or the coil, in particular, the conditions for heating the surface of the target and/or the coil, which is thought to be cause of hydrogen occlusion, are appropriately regulated. As a result, hydrogen occlusion at the surface of the target can be reduced, and the degree of vacuum during sputtering can be improved. Thus, the present invention provides a target and/or a coil that has a uniform and fine structure, makes plasma stable, and allows a film to be formed with excellent uniformity and provides a method of producing the target and/or the coil.