Sustained self-sputtering of lithium for lithium physical vapor deposition
First Claim
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1. A method of sustained self-sputtering of lithium in a sputtering station having a lithium metal target in a chamber, the method comprising:
- flowing an inert gas to the chamber;
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 the flow of the inert gas to the sputtering station under conditions that provide a sustained self-sputtering lithium plasma comprising a majority fraction of lithium ions having a mean free path of between 6.1 cm and 61 cm, wherein the conditions include applying a voltage between an anode and the lithium metal target that is a cathode that is between 200 V and 500 V.
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Abstract
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.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of sustained self-sputtering of lithium in a sputtering station having a lithium metal target in a chamber, the method comprising:
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flowing an inert gas to the chamber; 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 the flow of the inert gas to the sputtering station under conditions that provide a sustained self-sputtering lithium plasma comprising a majority fraction of lithium ions having a mean free path of between 6.1 cm and 61 cm, wherein the conditions include applying a voltage between an anode and the lithium metal target that is a cathode that is between 200 V and 500 V. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A sustained lithium self-sputtering apparatus comprising:
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a sputtering station comprising; a chamber; an anode in the chamber; a lithium metal target in the chamber, wherein the lithium metal target is a cathode; a voltage source electrically connected to the anode and to the cathode; and an inlet that regulates flow of an inert gas to the chamber during operation; and a controller containing program instructions for; controlling conditions in the sputtering station to induce and maintain a sustained self-sputtering lithium plasma in which lithium ions have a mean free path of between 6.1 cm and 61 cm, controlling the inlet to regulate the flow of inert gas to the chamber during operation, including flowing the inert gas to the chamber and reducing the flow of the inert gas after the sustained self-sputtering lithium plasma is induced without extinguishing the sustained self-sputtering lithium plasma, and controlling the voltage source to coordinate delivery of a potential between the anode and the cathode that is between 200 V and 500 V. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification