Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
204192130 | Measuring or testing (e.g., of operating parameters, property of article, etc.) | 54 |
20080223715 | Coating of Optical Substrates Using Closed Field System - The invention relates to apparatus and a method for depositing material onto substrates, particularly optical substrates, to form a coating thereon. The apparatus and method incorporates the use of a series of magnetrons provided to be controlled to sputter deposit material provided in targets mounted therein, on to the substrates. There is provided a voltage to the magnetrons to operate the same and the level of voltage which is required to form required coating or coating layer characteristics is determined by using monitoring apparatus, at least when forming the coating or coating layer for the first time. The appropriate voltage level data for operation of the magnetrons can be held in a database and subsequently used to control the voltage level when forming an identified coating or layers of coatings. | 09-18-2008 |
20080223716 | Method And Control System For Depositing A Layer - A method and control system are provided for depositing a layer in a sputter-deposition system having a target cathode. A first dependence relationship of a deposition rate of the layer on an operating parameter, selected from cathode voltage, cathode current, and cathode power, is provided prior to deposition of the layer. A second dependence relationship of the operating parameter on time is measured during deposition of the layer, while a different operating parameter, also selected from cathode voltage, cathode current, and cathode power, is held substantially constant. On the basis of the first and second dependence relationships, a deposition time for the layer is dynamically determined during deposition of the layer. | 09-18-2008 |
20080271989 | APPARATUS FOR PLATING AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING PLATING - An apparatus for plating includes a plating bath for plating copper (Cu) film on the surface of a substrate under a prescribed plating condition using a plating solution, a chemical supplying unit for supplying each components constituting the plating solution into the plating bath, a plating solution analyzing unit for analyzing a concentration of a predetermined component contained in the plating solution, a plating controlling unit for storing correlation data between a parameter representing a state of the plating solution and the plating condition, extracting the parameter relating the plating solution, and determining the predetermined plating condition based on the parameter and the stored correlation data. | 11-06-2008 |
20090045046 | Method of multi-location ARC sensing with adaptive threshold comparison - A method of responding to voltage or current transients during processing of a wafer in a plasma reactor at each of plural RF power applicators and at the wafer support surface. For each process step and for each of the power applicators and the wafer support surface, the method includes determining an arc detection threshold lying above a noise level. The method further includes comparing each transient with the threshold determined for the corresponding power applicator or wafer support surface, and issuing an arc detect flag if the transient exceeds the threshold. | 02-19-2009 |
20090057135 | SPUTTERING METHOD AND APPARATUS - The sputtering apparatus includes a vacuum vessel, a sputter electrode placed within the vacuum vessel to hold a target material to be sputtered, a radio frequency power source for applying radio frequency waves to the electrode, a substrate holder which is spaced from the electrode and on which a substrate is held, a thin film being to be deposited on the substrate from components of the target material, and an impedance adjusting circuit for adjusting a first impedance of the substrate holder. The impedance adjusting circuit has a first end directly set at a ground potential and has an impedance circuit which is adjustable for adjusting the first impedance, a second impedance of the impedance circuit is adjusted to thereby adjust the first impedance and, hence, a potential of the substrate. | 03-05-2009 |
20090090616 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PLASMA ENHANCED THIN FILM DEPOSITION - A system and a method for plasma enhanced thin film deposition are disclosed, in which the system comprises a plasma enhanced thin film deposition apparatus and a plasma process monitoring device. The plasma enhanced thin film deposition apparatus receives pulsed power and a reactive gas, whereby plasma discharging occurs to ionize the reactive gas into a plurality of radicals for thin film deposition. The plasma process monitoring device comprises an optical emission spectroscopy (OES) and a pulsed plasma modulation device, in which the OES detects spectrum intensities of the radicals and the pulsed plasma modulation device calculates a spectrum intensity ratio of the radicals so as to modulate the plasma duty time of pulsed power, thereby high deposition rate as well as real-time monitoring on thin film deposition quality can be achieved. | 04-09-2009 |
20090139854 | CONTROL OF ARBITRARY SCAN PATH OF A ROTATING MAGNETRON - A control system and method for controlling two motors determining the azimuthal and circumferential position of a magnetron rotating about the central axis of the sputter chamber in back of its target sputtering and capable of a nearly arbitrary scan path, e.g., with a planetary gear mechanism. A system controller periodically sends commands to the motion controller which closely controls the motors. Each command includes a command ticket, which may be one of several values. The motion controller accepts only commands having a command ticket of a different value from the immediately preceding command. One command selects a scan profile stored in the motion controller, which calculates motor signals from the selected profile. Another command instructs a dynamic homing command which interrogates sensors of the position of two rotating arms to determine if the arms in the expected positions. If not, the arms are rehomed. | 06-04-2009 |
20090145745 | Thin film coating system and method - A method and system for depositing a thin film on a substrate. In the system a target material is deposited and reacted on a substrate surface to form a substantially non-absorbing thin film. The volume of non-absorbing thin film formed per unit of time may be increased by increasing the area of the surface by a factor of “x” and increasing the rate of deposition of the target material by a factor greater than the inverse of the factor “x” to thereby increase the rate of formation of the volume of non-absorbing thin film per unit of time. | 06-11-2009 |
20090152099 | METHOD FOR COATING A WORKPIECE - The present technology relates to a method for coating a workpiece, in which a material is applied to the workpiece via a thermal spraying process that is monitored and evaluated to establish on-line process control. According to certain embodiments of the presently described method, infrared emissions of a spray jet are detected with the aid of at least one infrared camera, and properties of the spray jet are determined by analyzing the infrared emissions of the spray jet, which are detected by the at least one infrared camera. | 06-18-2009 |
20090173621 | METHOD OF MAGNETRON SPUTTERING AND A METHOD FOR DETERMINING A POWER MODULATION COMPENSATION FUNCTION FOR A POWER SUPPLY APPLIED TO A MAGNETRON SPUTTERING SOURCE - A method of magnetron sputtering, comprises rotating a magnet of a magnetron with an angular frequency ω, and, during sputtering of material from a source of the magnetron onto a substrate, periodically modulating a power level applied to the source with at least a component comprising a frequency f which is a harmonic of the angular frequency ω of rotation of the magnet other than the first harmonic. | 07-09-2009 |
20090200159 | REACTIVE SPUTTERING METHOD - In a reactive sputtering apparatus, an inert-gas supplying hole is provided in a movable target unit whose one end is open and whose conductance is controlled, and a reactive gas containing at least fluorine or oxygen can be supplied to a space between the target and a substrate. The apparatus is constructed so as to emit the reactive gas toward the substrate. A reactive-gas emitting location is in the space between the target and the substrate such that a concentration of the reactive gas on the substrate surface can be maintained at a higher level. When the target is moved, a reactive-gas emitting port is moved or the reactive-gas emitting location is changed. The concentration of the reactive gas on the substrate surface can be effectively kept constant, and a high-quality optical thin film can be formed. | 08-13-2009 |
20090211897 | SPUTTERING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME - The present invention provides a multi-target sputtering apparatus including an increased number of targets which can be sputtered simultaneously, and a method for controlling the sputtering apparatus. In one embodiment of the present invention, first and second shutter plates are provided between a substrate and target electrodes and paths between intended targets and the substrate are shut off by the shutter plates to perform a pre-sputtering step. In addition, the first and second shutter plates are rotated as appropriate at the time of transition to a full-scale sputtering step, so as to overlap through-holes provided in the shutter plates, thereby opening up paths between the intended targets and the substrate. Then, a full-scale sputtering step is performed. | 08-27-2009 |
20090229970 | SPUTTERING CATHODE, SPUTTERING APPARATUS PROVIDED WITH SPUTTERING CATHODE, FILM-FORMING METHOD, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING ELECTRONIC DEVICE - The present invention provides a sputtering cathode whereby it is possible to increase the degree of freedom to adjust a distance between a target and a magnet unit. A sputtering cathode in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of magnet units arranged at positions opposite to the rear surface of the target and a distance adjusting mechanism for separately adjusting a distance between the target and a magnet unit for each magnet unit. In addition, the sputtering cathode includes a reciprocating movement mechanism for reciprocating a plurality of magnet units in parallel to the rear surface of the target. The plurality of magnet units, the distance adjusting mechanism and the reciprocating movement mechanism may be housed in a magnet chamber that can be evacuated. | 09-17-2009 |
20090229971 | Thin-Film Deposition System - This application discloses a thin-film deposition apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber and a partition separating the inside of the vacuum chamber into two areas. A substrate is capable of passing through an inside opening provided in the partition. The inside opening is closed by a valve. A thin film is deposited onto the substrate in the first area. The substrate is heated by a heater in the second area prior to the deposition. The substrate is held by a holder in point contact while heated. A boosting-gas is introduced into the second area during the heating, thereby increasing pressure up to a viscous flow range. A pumping line evacuates the first area at a vacuum pressure all the time. The pumping line also evacuates the introduced boosting-gas from the second area to make the second area at a vacuum pressure when the valve is opened. | 09-17-2009 |
20090277780 | SPUTTERING DEVICE - The present invention relates to a sputtering cathode of the magnetron type and a control method for such a device for, in a vacuum process, depositing very thin films on substrates for a wide variety of commercial and scientific purposes including production of circular optical discs such as CD- or DVD-discs. In particular, the sputtering device comprises a magnet system disposed behind the target and comprising at least three permanent magnets connected to each other by means of a yoke, each of the permanent magnets having a different polarity, wherein the permanent magnets is adapted to interact with each other so as to form a magnetic flux line plateau having magnetic flux lines being substantially parallel with the sputtering surface of the target. | 11-12-2009 |
20090308734 | Apparatus and Method for Wafer Level Arc Detection - A method and apparatus for detecting a wafer-level arc in a plasma process chamber. The method includes, for example, monitoring a waveform of a signal supplied to the plasma process chamber; detecting a feature in the waveform; responsive to detecting the feature, determining whether the waveform has stabilized after the feature; responsive to the waveform stabilizing, determining whether the feature is part of a bidirectional waveform anomaly or a unidirectional waveform transition; and recording to a computer-readable medium either an indication of the feature being part of a bidirectional waveform anomaly or an indication of the feature being a unidirectional waveform transition. | 12-17-2009 |
20100000856 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR THE COLD-PLASMA DEPOSITION OF A BARRIER LAYER AND MACHINE USING SUCH A DEVICE - Method for controlling a high-voltage power supply generator for a magnetron ( | 01-07-2010 |
20100006424 | MAGNETRON UNIT MOVING APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING MAGNETIZATION AND MAGNETRON SPUTTERING EQUIPMENT HAVING THE SAME - A magnetron unit moving apparatus for preventing magnetization and magnetron sputtering equipment having the same. The magnetron unit moving apparatus includes a magnetron unit disposed adjacent to a target, to generate a specific magnetic field, and a movement unit to space the magnetron unit and the target apart such that a strength of a magnetic field generated over the target is within a predetermined reference strength range. It is possible to space the target and the magnetron unit apart so as to prevent the target from being magnetized when a process is not performed. | 01-14-2010 |
20100012482 | SPUTTERING SYSTEM AND METHOD INCLUDING AN ARC DETECTION - A sputtering system that includes a sputtering chamber having a target material serving as a cathode, and an anode and a work piece. A direct current (DC) power supply supplies electrical power to the anode and the cathode sufficient to generate a plasma within the sputtering chamber. A detection module detects the occurrence of an arc in the sputtering chamber by monitoring an electrical characteristic of the plasma. In one embodiment the electrical characteristic monitored is the impedance of the plasma. In another embodiment the electrical characteristic is the conductance of the plasma. | 01-21-2010 |
20100065418 | REACTIVE MAGNETRON SPUTTERING FOR THE LARGE-SCALE DEPOSITION OF CHALCOPYRITE ABSORBER LAYERS FOR THIN LAYER SOLAR CELLS - A method of reactive magnetron sputtering for large-area deposition of a chalcopyrite absorber layer for thin-film solar cells on a substrate, using at least one magnetron sputter source with at least one copper target, and using an inert gas and a chalcogen-containing reactive gas in a magnetron plasma, includes introducing the chalcogen-containing reactive gas directly at the substrate. The chalcogen-containing reactive gas fraction is set at 5 to 30% of the inert gas fraction in the magnetron plasma. A sputtering pressure of between 1 and 2 Pa, is set. A negative bias voltage is applied to the substrate. The magnetron plasma is excited by rapid frequency AC voltage above 6 MHz. The substrate is heated to a temperature between 350° C. and 500° C. Low-copper deposition is performed by disposing different targets serially in the at least one magnetron sputter source and operating the targets at the same sputtering power, or by disposing same targets in the at least one magnetron sputter source and operating the targets at different sputtering powers so as to obtain stoichiometry gradients. | 03-18-2010 |
20100116645 | SURFACE PROCESSING METHOD AND MANUFACTURING METHOD OF RECORDING MEDIUM - A surface processing method of processing a surface of a substrate includes disposing the substrate in a vacuum chamber, processing by applying a high-frequency voltage to the substrate and by sputtering the surface of the substrate, measuring a cathode drop potential generated at the substrate in the processing and obtaining a time integration value of the cathode drop potential, and determining whether or not a processed state of the surface of the substrate is good based on the time integration value obtained in the measuring. | 05-13-2010 |
20100200393 | SPUTTER DEPOSITION METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FABRICATING THIN FILM CAPACITORS WITH OPTICALLY TRANSPARENT SMOOTH SURFACE METAL OXIDE STANDOFF LAYER - A sputter deposition method and system for producing a metal oxide film, especially a dielectric standoff layer of a thin film/nanolayer capacitor. A noble gas, such as argon, is used to sputter metal ions from a metal target, such as niobium, in the presence of a partial pressure of oxygen in a vacuum chamber. And an oxygen-to-noble gas flow ratio entering the vacuum chamber is controlled by a flow controller to be within an operating range defined between a predetermined lower limit (such as 30% O | 08-12-2010 |
20100200394 | VACUUM THIN FILM FORMING APPARATUS - In order to automatically adjust a self-bias on a substrate to a constant value at all times and to form a high-quality insulating film with excellent process reproducibility, a vacuum thin film forming apparatus according to the present invention includes: a high-frequency sputtering device having a chamber, an evacuation means for evacuating the inside of the chamber, a gas introduction means for supplying gas into the chamber, a substrate holder provided within the chamber, and an electrode provided within the substrate holder; and at least one vacuum treatment chamber that can be selected from a group including a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber, a physical etching chamber, a chemical etching chamber, a substrate heating chamber, a substrate cooling chamber, an oxidation treatment chamber, a reduction treatment chamber, and an ashing chamber, wherein the high-frequency sputtering device further includes a variable impedance mechanism electrically connected to the electrode for adjusting the potential of the substrate on the substrate holder. | 08-12-2010 |
20100224481 | GAS FLOW SET-UP FOR MULTIPLE, INTERACTING REACTIVE SPUTTER SOURCES - A method and apparatus for physical vapor deposition of films on a substrate is provided. The apparatus comprises a series of connected sputtering chambers through which a substrate passes to undergo sequential deposition processes. The chambers have passages through which the substrates move, and through which process gases may leak. Target gas flows to each chamber are established by operating each chamber while adjacent chambers are idle, measuring the extent of gas communication between the chambers, and reducing the flows by an amount based on the extent of gas leakage. | 09-09-2010 |
20100236920 | DEPOSITION APPARATUS WITH HIGH TEMPERATURE ROTATABLE TARGET AND METHOD OF OPERATING THEREOF - A deposition apparatus and a method for sputtering material on a substrate is provided with a substrate holder for holding the substrate, a rotatable target adapted for being sputtered, and a heating system including a back side heating for heating the substrate from the back and a front side heating for heating the substrate from the front. The rotatable target acts as the front side heating and is adapted for heating the substrate to a temperature of at least 100° C. A method for performing this method is disclosed. | 09-23-2010 |
20100282598 | Method for controlling a reactive-high-power pulsed magnetron sputter process and corresponding device - The invention relates to the control of a reactive high-power pulsed sputter process. The invention particularly relates to a method for controlling a process of the aforementioned kind, wherein a controlled variable is measured and an adjustable variable is modified based on the measured controlled variable in order to adjust the controlled variable to a predetermined setting value. The method according to the invention is characterised by modifying the discharge capacity by varying the pulse frequency of the discharge. | 11-11-2010 |
20110005920 | Low Temperature Deposition of Amorphous Thin Films - Various embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to an apparatus and method for low temperature physical vapor deposition (PVD) of an amorphous thin film layer of material onto a substrate. A PVD chamber is configured to support a substrate and has a cathode target with a layer of sputtering material thereon, an anode shield, and a magnetron assembly adjacent the target. A high impulse power magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) power supply is coupled to the PVD chamber, the power supply having a charging circuit and a charge storage device. The power supply applies relatively high energy, low duty cycle pulses to the magnetron assembly to sputter, via self ionizing plasma, relatively low energy ions from the layer of sputtering material to deposit an amorphous thin film layer onto the substrate. | 01-13-2011 |
20110168545 | MULTILAYER-FILM SPUTTERING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF FORMING MULTILAYER FILM - Provided is a sputtering apparatus which can form a multilayer film giving high productivity and with less spiral pattern by effective use of targets, and a method of forming multilayer film using the apparatus. An embodiment is a multilayer-film sputtering apparatus comprising: a rotatable cathode unit ( | 07-14-2011 |
20120031748 | FILM FORMING APPARATUS AND FILM FORMING METHOD - 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. | 02-09-2012 |
20120132518 | Method for Predicting and Compensating Erosion in a Magnetron Sputtering Target - When a magnetron is scanned about the back of a target in a selected complex path having radial components, the erosion profile has a form depending upon the selection of paths. A radial erosion rate profile for a given magnetron is measured. Periodically during scanning, an erosion profile is calculated from the measured erosion rate profile, the time the magnetron spends at different radii, and the target power. The calculated erosion profile may be used to indicate when erosion has become excessive at any location prompting target replacement or to adjust the height of the magnetron above the target for repeated scans. In another aspect of the invention, the magnetron height is dynamically adjusted during a scan to compensate for erosion. The compensation may be based on the calculated erosion profile or on feedback control of the present value of the target voltage for a constant-power target supply. | 05-31-2012 |
20120138452 | Method and Apparatus for Super-High Rate Deposition - A method and apparatus for achieving very high deposition rate magnetron sputtering wherein the surface of a target and especially the race track zone area of the target, in one embodiment may be heated to such a degree that the target material approaches the melting point and sublimation sets in. Controlled heating is achieved primarily through the monitoring of the temperature of the target material and with the aid of a processor subsequently controlling the target temperature by adjustment of the power being inputted to the target. This controlled heating to the sublimation point is particularly effecting in high deposition rate metal coating of parts when used in conjunction with HIPIMS deposition. The apparatus for controlling temperature of the target in one embodiment includes a thermocouple, which is electronically connected to a controller or microcomputer which is programmed to control the power of the pulse to the target, and the duty cycle of the power pulses as the primary means for regulating the temperature of the system. | 06-07-2012 |
20120193219 | METHOD FOR DETERMINING PROCESS-SPECIFIC DATA OF A VACUUM DEPOSITION PROCESS - A method for determining process-specific data of a vacuum deposition process, in which a substrate is coated in a vacuum chamber by a material detached from a target connected to a magnetron, an optical emission spectrum being recorded and process-significant data of the vacuum deposition process being determined therefrom for further processing in measurement or regulating processes, is optimized to minimize errors in the determination of process-significant data. At least three intensities of spectral lines of at least two process materials are determined from the optical emission spectrum. From these, single and multiple intensities are mathematically correlated with and to one another and a process-significant datum, which is used in subsequent measurement or regulating processes, is determined from the relation results by a further mathematical relation. | 08-02-2012 |
20120279851 | METHOD OF MAGNETRON SPUTTERING AND A METHOD FOR DETERMINING A POWER MODULATION COMPENSATION FUNCTION FOR A POWER SUPPLY APPLIED TO A MAGNETRON SPUTTERING SOURCE - A method of magnetron sputtering, comprises rotating a magnet of a magnetron with an angular frequency ω, and, during sputtering of material from a source of the magnetron onto a substrate, periodically modulating a power level applied to the source with at least a component comprising a frequency f which is a harmonic of the angular frequency ω of rotation of the magnet other than the first harmonic. | 11-08-2012 |
20130105298 | SPUTTERING APPARATUS, FILM DEPOSITION METHOD, AND CONTROL DEVICE | 05-02-2013 |
20130168233 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR HETEROEPITAXIAL GROWTH USING PULSED LASER AND SPUTTERING DEPOSITION WITH REAL-TIME, IN SITU RHEED IMAGING - Apparatus and methods for the heteroepitaxial growth of multilayered structures using an integrated magnetron sputtering and PLD with continuous, in situ, real-time RHEED imaging are provided. The apparatus for carrying out the methods are equipped with a magnetron sputtering system, a PLD system and a RHEED system associated with a single vacuum chamber. | 07-04-2013 |
20130313107 | Prediction and compensation of erosion in a magnetron sputtering target - When a magnetron is scanned about the back of a target in a selected complex path having radial components, the erosion profile has a form depending upon the selection of paths. A radial erosion rate profile for a given magnetron is measured. Periodically during scanning, an erosion profile is calculated from the measured erosion rate profile, the time the magnetron spends at different radii, and the target power. The calculated erosion profile may be used to indicate when erosion has become excessive at any location prompting target replacement or to adjust the height of the magnetron above the target for repeated scans. In another aspect of the invention, the magnetron height is dynamically adjusted during a scan to compensate for erosion. The compensation may be based on the calculated erosion profile or on feedback control of the present value of the target voltage for a constant-power target supply. | 11-28-2013 |
20140097080 | SPUTTERING MAGNETRON AND METHOD FOR DYNAMICALLY INFLUENCING THE MAGNETIC FIELD - A sputtering magnetron for coating a substrate includes a target and a magnet system that can be displaced relative to one another. The magnet system forms a magnetic field that penetrates the target, and has a support apparatus, a support plate with magnets arranged thereon, and actuators. The support apparatus is connectable to the support plate by the actuators such that distance between the magnet system and the target can be set, at least in sections. A cooling circuit cools the magnet arrangement and the target by a coolant. A layer measuring device obtains data of layer properties of at least one layer deposited on the substrate. Magnet system controls evaluate the data obtained and generate manipulated variables employed as the input variables of the actuators. A method for dynamically influencing the magnetic field is also provided. | 04-10-2014 |
20140124359 | New Magnet Design Which Improves Erosion Profile for PVD Systems - Methods and apparatuses for performing combinatorial processing are disclosed. Methods include introducing a substrate into a processing chamber. The processing chamber includes a sputter assembly disposed over the substrate. The sputter assembly includes a rotatable n-fold, symmetric-shaped magnetron and a sputter target. The methods include depositing a first film on the surface of a first site-isolated region of the substrate. The methods further include depositing a second film on the surface of a second site-isolated region of the substrate. Furthermore, methods include evaluating results of the first and second films. | 05-08-2014 |
20140158524 | REACTIVE SPUTTERING METHOD AND REACTIVE SPUTTERING APPARATUS - 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 PrCaMnO3 (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. | 06-12-2014 |
20140183036 | In Situ Sputtering Target Measurement - Methods and systems for in situ measuring sputtering target erosion are disclosed. The emission of material from the sputtering target is stopped, a distance sensor is scanned across a radial line on the sputtering target. The sputtering chamber contains a controlled environment separate and distinct from the environment outside the chamber, and the controlled environment is maintained during the scanning The resulting distance data is converted into a surface profile of the sputtering target. The accuracy of the surface profile can be less than about ±1 μm. The distance sensor is protected from deposition of the material from the sputtering target. End-of-life for a sputtering target can be determined by obtaining a surface profile of the sputtering target at regular intervals and replacing the sputtering target when the thinnest location on the target as measured by the surface profile is below a predetermined threshold. | 07-03-2014 |
20140262751 | PLASMA EMISSION MONITOR AND PROCESS GAS DELIVERY SYSTEM - A gas manifold for delivery gas to a sputtering chamber is provided with ports to accommodate plasma emission monitors to monitor plasma information in the sputtering chamber to provide feedback control. The collimators of the plasma emission monitors is exposed to gas flow and thus coating of the monitor is greatly reduced. | 09-18-2014 |
20140262752 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING LOW-PARTICLE LAYERS ON SUBSTRATES - The invention relates to methods and devices for producing one or more low-particle layers on substrates in a vacuum. The layers are deposited onto the substrate from a cylindrical source material, optionally together with a reactive gas component, by means of magnetron sputtering. The layer is deposited against the force of gravity in a sputter-up method. During the method or within the device, the structure or stochiometric atomic composition of the layers can optionally be modified using a plasma source. Multiple sputtering sources with different source materials can be provided in the device such that multiple layers of different compositions can be applied on the substrate at a high speed in one process. | 09-18-2014 |
20150021168 | INLINE DEPOSITION CONTROL APPARATUS AND METHOD OF INLINE DEPOSITION CONTROL - An inline deposition control apparatus for a vacuum deposition apparatus having one or more deposition sources for depositing one or more deposition layers on a substrate, includes one or more light sources adapted to illuminate the substrate having the one or more deposition layers; a detection arrangement adapted for spectrally resolved detection of a measurement signal, wherein the measurement signal is selected from at least one of: light reflected at the substrate having the one or more deposition layers, and light transmitted through the substrate having the one or more deposition layers; an evaluation unit to determine the respective thicknesses of the one or more layers based on the measurement signal; and a controller connected to the evaluation unit and connectable to the deposition apparatus for feed-back control of the deposition of the one or more deposition layers based on the determined thicknesses. Furthermore, a method of inline deposition control is provided. | 01-22-2015 |
20150122633 | HIGH-POWER PULSE COATING METHOD - The invention relates to a method for determining the reactive gas consumption in a coating process using plasma, comprising the following steps: a) admitting reactive gas into a coating chamber, wherein the corresponding reactive gas flow is measured and, at the same time, the partial pressure prevailing in the coating chamber is measured, without igniting a plasma; b) admitting reactive gas into a coating chamber, wherein the corresponding reactive gas flow is measured and, at the same time, the partial pressure prevailing in the coating chamber is measured, wherein a plasma is ignited. The method is characterized in that the steps a) and b) are carried out in the case of a plurality of different reactive gas flows and thus the partial pressure dependence of the reactive gas flow can be determined both with plasma or without plasma,—in the case of a given partial pressure, deduction of the reactive gas flow value that has been determined without plasma from the reactive gas flow value that has been determined with plasma and equating the difference to the reactive gas consumption. | 05-07-2015 |
20150136585 | METHOD FOR SPUTTERING FOR PROCESSES WITH A PRE-STABILIZED PLASMA - A method of depositing a layer of a material on a substrate is described. The method includes igniting a plasma of a sputter target for material deposition while the substrate is not exposed to the plasma, maintaining the plasma at least until exposure of the substrate to the plasma for deposition of the material on the substrate, exposing the substrate to the plasma by moving at least one of the plasma and the substrate, and depositing the material on the substrate, wherein the substrate is positioned for a static deposition process. | 05-21-2015 |
20160004153 | METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING REFLECTIVE MASK BLANK, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING REFLECTIVE MASK - A method of manufacturing a reflective mask blank comprising a multilayer reflective film formed on a substrate so as to reflect EUV light; and a laminated film formed on the multilayer reflective film. The method includes the steps of depositing the multilayer reflective film on the substrate to form a multilayer reflective film formed substrate; carrying out defect inspection for the multilayer reflective film formed substrate; depositing the laminated film on the multilayer reflective film of the multilayer reflective film formed substrate; forming a fiducial mark for an upper portion of the laminated film to thereby form a reflective mask blank comprising the fiducial mark, the fiducial mark serving as a reference for a defect position in defect information; and carrying out defect inspection of the reflective mask blank by using the fiducial mark as a reference. | 01-07-2016 |
20160013032 | CATHODE ASSEMBLY, PHYSICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR PHYSICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION | 01-14-2016 |
20160013034 | Online Adjustable Magnet Bar | 01-14-2016 |
20160053367 | Sputtering Method Using Sputtering Device - The present invention relates to a sputtering method using a sputtering device, wherein entire scan region is defined from one side to the other side of a sputtering target, and the sputtering target is scanned with a magnet moving back and forth along the entire scan region multiple times. The entire scan region of a sputtering target is divided by N parts to be uniformly eroded, such that a magnet moves back and forth along some part of the divided entire scan region. A sputtering method using a sputtering device can therefore extend an alternating cycle of a sputtering target, by virtue of improving utilization efficiency of the sputtering target through uniform erosion of the sputtering target, and can also reduce manufacturing cost. | 02-25-2016 |
20160076139 | SUSTAINED SELF-SPUTTERING OF LITHIUM FOR LITHIUM PHYSICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION - A method of sustained self-sputtering of lithium in a sputtering station having a lithium metal target, the method comprising initiating a lithium sputtering reaction in the sputtering station by igniting an initial plasma comprising a majority fraction of inert gas ions and inducing a sustained lithium self-sputtering reaction by reducing supply of an inert gas to the sputtering station under conditions that provide a sustained self-sputtering lithium plasma comprising a majority fraction of lithium ions. | 03-17-2016 |
20160083832 | THIN FILM FORMING METHOD - A compound thin film is obtained with a high deposition rate and consistent film quality in reactive sputtering. A thin film is formed by performing voltage monitoring control and gas flow rate monitoring control. The voltage monitoring control is control in which a gas flow rate is adjusted such that the value of a target voltage is brought closer to the value of a desired voltage by monitoring the target voltage in a first cycle time. The gas flow rate monitoring control is control in which the desired voltage for the target voltage is changed such that the value of the gas flow rate is brought closer to the value of a desired gas flow rate by monitoring the gas flow rate in a second cycle time. | 03-24-2016 |
20160186310 | TARGET PREPARATION - A method for coating workpieces includes the following steps: charging a coating chamber with the workpieces to be coated; closing and evacuating the coating chamber to a predetermined process pressure, starting a coating source, which comprises a target as a material source, whereby particles are accelerated from the surface of the target toward substrates, characterized in that until the target has been conditioned a shield is provided between the target surface and the substrate, wherein meanwhile the substrates to be coated are at least partially subjected to a pretreatment. | 06-30-2016 |
20160376695 | METHOD FOR MONITORING USAGE OF A PHYSICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION (PVD) TARGET WITH AN ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER - A system for semiconductor manufacturing that uses ultrasonic waves for estimating and monitoring a remaining service lifetime of a consumable element is provided. A consumable element comprises a front side arranged inside a process chamber and a back side, opposite the front side, arranged outside the process chamber. An ultrasonic transducer is arranged on the back side of the consumable element, and directed towards the front side of the consumable element. A monitoring unit is configured to estimate and monitor a remaining service lifetime of the consumable element using the ultrasonic transducer. A method for estimating and monitoring the remaining service lifetime of the consumable element using ultrasonic waves is also provided. | 12-29-2016 |
20180025895 | PHYSICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION (PVD) PLASMA ENERGY CONTROL PER DYNAMIC MAGNETRON CONTROL | 01-25-2018 |