Abstract:
A sputtering apparatus includes a substrate holder which holds a substrate to be rotatable in the plane direction of the processing surface of the substrate, a substrate-side magnet which is arranged around the substrate and forms a magnetic field on the processing surface of the substrate, a cathode which is arranged diagonally above the substrate and receives discharge power, a position detection unit which detects the rotational position of the substrate, and a controller which controls the discharge power in accordance with the rotational position detected by the position detection unit.
Abstract:
A magnetron assembly for a rotary target cathode comprises a rigid support structure, a magnet bar structure movably attached to the rigid support structure, and at least one actuation mechanism coupled to the rigid support structure and configured to change a distance of the magnet bar structure from a surface of a rotatable target cylinder. The magnetron assembly also includes a position indicating mechanism operative to measure a position of the magnet bar structure relative to the surface of the rotatable target cylinder. A communications device is configured to receive command signals from outside of the magnetron assembly and transmit information signals to outside of the magnetron assembly.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method for recycling a tantalum coil for sputtering that is disposed between a substrate and a sputtering target. The method for recycling a tantalum coil for sputtering is characterized in that the whole or partial surface of a spent tantalum coil is subject to cutting (cutting is performed until a re-deposited film and knurling traces are eliminated) so as to eliminate the re-deposited film that was formed during sputtering, and knurling is newly performed to the cut portion. While sputtered grains are accumulated (re-deposited) on the surface of the tantalum coil disposed between the substrate and the sputtering target during sputtering, by eliminating the sputtered grains accumulated on the spent coil by way of cutting after the sputtering is complete, the tantalum coil can be efficiently recycled. Thus, provided is technology capable of lean manufacturing of new coils, improving productivity, and stably providing such coils.
Abstract:
Electrochromic devices and methods may employ the addition of a defect-mitigating insulating layer which prevents electronically conducting layers and/or electrochromically active layers from contacting layers of the opposite polarity and creating a short circuit in regions where defects form. In some embodiments, an encapsulating layer is provided to encapsulate particles and prevent them from ejecting from the device stack and risking a short circuit when subsequent layers are deposited. The insulating layer may have an electronic resistivity of between about 1 and 108 Ohm-cm. In some embodiments, the insulating layer contains one or more of the following metal oxides: aluminum oxide, zinc oxide, tin oxide, silicon aluminum oxide, cerium oxide, tungsten oxide, nickel tungsten oxide, and oxidized indium tin oxide. Carbides, nitrides, oxynitrides, and oxycarbides may also be used.
Abstract:
Technologies are presented for growing graphene by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on a high purity copper surface. The surface may be prepared by deposition of a high purity copper layer on a lower purity copper substrate using deposition processes such as sputtering, evaporation, electroplating, or CVD. The deposition of the high purity copper layer may be followed by a thermal treatment to facilitate grain growth. Use of the high purity copper layer in combination with the lower purity copper substrate may provide thermal expansion matching, compatibility with copper etch removal, or reduction of contamination, producing fewer graphene defects compared to direct deposition on a lower purity substrate at substantially less expense than deposition approaches using a high purity copper foil substrate.
Abstract:
A sputtering apparatus includes a substrate holder which holds a substrate to be rotatable in the plane direction of the processing surface of the substrate, a substrate-side magnet which is arranged around the substrate and forms a magnetic field on the processing surface of the substrate, a cathode which is arranged diagonally above the substrate and receives discharge power, a position detection unit which detects the rotational position of the substrate, and a controller which controls the discharge power in accordance with the rotational position detected by the position detection unit.
Abstract:
Methods and apparatus for high-deposition sputtering are described. A sputtering source includes an anode and a cathode assembly that is positioned adjacent to the anode. The cathode assembly includes a sputtering target. An ionization source generates a weakly-ionized plasma proximate to the anode and the cathode assembly. A power supply produces an electric field between the anode and the cathode assembly that creates a strongly-ionized plasma from the weakly-ionized plasma. The strongly-ionized plasma includes a first plurality of ions that impact the sputtering target to generate sufficient thermal energy in the sputtering target to cause a sputtering yield of the sputtering target to be non-linearly related to a temperature of the sputtering target.
Abstract:
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.
Abstract:
Method and apparatus for processing a substrate with an energetic particle beam. Features on the substrate are oriented relative to the energetic particle beam and the substrate is scanned through the energetic particle beam. The substrate is periodically indexed about its azimuthal axis of symmetry, while shielded from exposure to the energetic particle beam, to reorient the features relative to the major dimension of the beam.
Abstract:
Methods and apparatus for high-deposition sputtering are described. A sputtering source includes an anode and a cathode assembly that is positioned adjacent to the anode. The cathode assembly includes a sputtering target. An ionization source generates a weakly-ionized plasma proximate to the anode and the cathode assembly. A power supply produces an electric field between the anode and the cathode assembly that creates a strongly-ionized plasma from the weakly-ionized plasma. The strongly-ionized plasma includes a first plurality of ions that impact the sputtering target to generate sufficient thermal energy in the sputtering target to cause a sputtering yield of the sputtering target to be non-linearly related to a temperature of the sputtering target.