Non-planar sputter targets having crystallographic orientations promoting uniform deposition

• US 20060076234A1
• Filed: 09/12/2003
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tosoh SMD, Inc. (Tosoh Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Tosoh SMD, Inc. (Tosoh Corporation)
• Inventors: Wiemels, Timothy, Smathers, David B, Bailey, Robert S, Holcomb, Melvin K
• Application Number:
  US10/526,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20060076234A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/298.210
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/3407 Cathode assembly for sputtering apparatus, e.g. Target
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/3414 Metallurgical or chemical aspects of target preparation, e.g. casting, powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/34 operating with cathodic sputtering H01J37/36 takes precedence ; methods of cathodic sputtering C23C14/34
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3426 Material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49805 Shaping by direct application of fluent pressure

Abstract

A non-planar sputter target having differing crystallographic orientations in portions of the sputter target surface (25) that promote more desirable deposition and density patterns of material sputtered from the target surface onto a substrate is disclosed. A closed dome (22) end of the sputter target (20) is comprised of a first crystallographic orientation and sidewalls (24) of the sputter target are comprised of a crystallographic orientation different from that of the dome. The sputter target is formed, preferably by hydroforming or other metal working techniques, in the absence of annealing. The hydroforming manipulations result in the different crystallographic orientations while minimizing, or ideally omitting, the application of heat. Quick and cost effective non-planar sputter targets that are easily repeatably producable are achievable as a result. There are vectors (α, β1, β2) in the target.

Claims

1. A sputter target comprising:

a substantially cylindrical side wall connected to an end wall, said side wall and said end wall having inner and outer surfaces wherein said inner surfaces are comprised of a high purity metal or alloy thereof for sputtering thereof during physical vapor deposition, said inner surfaces of said side wall having a texture which provides emission which avoids the central axis of the HCM, and said inner surface of said end wall having a texture which may provide emission normal to the surface.

2. A target as recited in claim 1 consisting essentially of Ta, which has a side wall with a major {112}/{110} texture and an end wall with a predominate {111} texture.

3-6. -6. (canceled)

7. A sputter target comprising:

a sputtering surface having a planar portion and a non-planar portion, the planar portion having a first crystallographic orientation and the non-planar portion having a second crystallographic orientation different than the first crystallographic orientation.

14. The sputter target of claim 7, wherein emissions from the non-planar portion are at acute angles from the surface of the non-planar portions.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the high purity metal is a mixture of {111}/{100} tantalum, having at least 20% {111} tantalum.

34. A method as recited in claim 23 wherein said second crystallographic orientation is major {112}/{110}.

8-9. -9. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the non-planar portion is comprised of a mixture of orientations after hydroforming.

17. (canceled)

18. A method of making a sputter target having different crystallographic orientations in portions of a sputter surface of the target, the method comprising:

a. providing a hydroforming press having an annular platen, a housing holding a bladder filled with hydraulic fluid, and a mandrel;

b. placing a blank of material on the annular platen;

c. lowering the housing to contact the bladder with an upper surface of the blank;

d. raising the mandrel through a central opening in the annular platen to contact a lower surface of the blank;

e. raising the mandrel further to urge the blank into the bladder thereby increasing pressure in the bladder;

f. forming the blank into the desired shape by the resistance provided from the pressurized bladder and the mandrel urging the blank into said bladder;

g. retracting said bladder and mandrel to yield the sputter target; and

h. measuring the crystallographic orientations in various portions of the sputtering surface of the target; and

wherein no annealing is performed after shaping of the target.

28. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein said step (b) of forming comprises hydroforming.

26. A method of making a sputter target assembly having first and second sputtering surfaces with said first sputtering surface having a first crystallographic orientation and said second sputtering surface having a second crystallographic orientation, said method comprising.

a. providing a blank of a first metal having said first crystallographic orientation;

b. forming said blank into a desired shape by deforming a portion of said blank to transform its crystallographic orientation from said first crystallographic orientation to said second crystallographic orientation;

c. said method being performed in the absence of heat treatment annealing to prevent recrystallization of said deformed portion of said blank back to said first crystallographic orientation.

27. (canceled)

30. (canceled)

35. (canceled)