SPUTTERING TARGETS COMPRISING A NOVEL MANUFACTURING DESIGN, METHODS OF PRODUCTION AND USES THEREOF

• US 20090065354A1
• Filed: 09/12/2007
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Clark, Brett, Li, Jianxing, Nolander, Ira G., Baldwin, Florence A., Strothers, Susan D., Kardokus, Janine K.
• Application Number:
  US11/854,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20090065354A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/298.130
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 21/007 with low melting point, e.g. Al 659 degrees C, Mg 650 degrees C
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 21/025 Casting heavy metals with high melting point, i.e. 1000 - 1600 degrees C, e.g. Co 1490 degrees C, Ni 1450 degrees C, Mn 1240 degrees C, Cu 1083 degrees C
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 21/12 with copper as the next major constituent
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 9/01 with aluminium as the next major constituent
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/3414 Metallurgical or chemical aspects of target preparation, e.g. casting, powder metallurgy

Abstract

A sputtering target is described herein, which includes: a) a surface material, and b) a core material coupled to the surface material, wherein at least one of the surface material or the core material has less than 100 ppm defect volume. Methods for producing sputtering targets are described that include: a) providing at least one sputtering target material, b) melting the at least one sputtering target material to provide a molten material, c) degassing the molten material, d) pouring the molten material into a target mold. In some embodiments, pouring the molten material into a target mold comprises under-pouring or under-skimming the molten material from the crucible into the target mold. Sputtering targets and related apparatus formed by and utilizing these methods are also described herein. In addition, uses of these sputtering targets are described herein.

Claims

1. A sputtering target, comprising:

at least one surface material, and

at least one core material coupled to the at least one surface material,

wherein at least one of the surface material and the core material comprises less than about 100 ppm defect volume.

2. The sputtering target of claim 1, wherein the at least one surface material and the at least one core material comprise the same material, materials to or combination thereof.

3. The sputtering target of claim 1, wherein the at least one surface material comprises at least one transition metal.

4. The sputtering target of claim 3, wherein the at least one transition metal comprises copper, aluminum or a combination thereof.

5. The sputtering target of claim 1, wherein the at least one surface material comprises copper, aluminum, a copper alloy, an aluminum alloy, or a combination thereof.

6. The sputtering target of claim 5, wherein the at least one surface material material comprises CuxAl or AlxCu, wherein x is less than about 30 weight percent.

7. The sputtering target of claim 5, wherein the at least one surface material material comprises CuxAl or AlxCu, wherein x is from about 0.5 weight percent to about 30 weight percent.

8. The sputtering target of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the surface material and the core material comprises less than about 10 ppm defect volume.

9. The sputtering target of claim 8, wherein the at least one of the surface material and the core material comprises less than about 1 ppm defect volume.

10. The sputtering target of claim 2, wherein the sputtering target is monolithic.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the sputtering target comprises less than about 100 ppm defect volume.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the sputtering target comprises less than about 10 ppm detect volume.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the sputtering target comprises less than about 1 ppm defect volume.

42. The sputtering target of claim 1, comprising:

at least one surface material, and

at least one core material coupled to the at least one surface material,

wherein at least one of the surface material and the core material comprises less than about 75000 defects.

43. The sputtering target of claim 42, wherein the at least one of the surface material and the core material comprises less than about 50000 defects.

44. The sputtering target of claim 43, wherein the at least one of the surface material and the core material comprises less than about 25000 defects.

45. The sputtering target of claim 44, wherein the at least one of the surface material and the core material comprises less than about 10000 defects.

11. A method for producing a sputtering target, comprising:

providing at least one sputtering target material,

melting the at least one sputtering target material to provide a molten material,

degassing the molten material, and

pouring the molten material into a target mold.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein pouring the molten material comprises under-pouring the molten material into a target mold.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein pouring the molten material comprises under-skimming the molten material into a target mold.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one sputtering target material has an effective melting point less than that of iron.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one sputtering target material comprises at least one transition metal.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one transition metal comprises copper, aluminum or a combination thereof.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one sputtering target material comprises copper, aluminum, a copper alloy, an aluminum alloy, or a combination thereof.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the copper alloy or aluminum alloy comprises CuxAl or AlxCu, wherein x is less than about 30 weight percent.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the copper alloy or aluminum alloy comprises CuxAl or AlxCu, wherein x is from about 0.5 weight percent to about 30 weight percent.

23. The method of claim 11, wherein degassing the molten material comprises utilizing an inert gas.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the inert gas comprises argon or nitrogen.

25. The method of claim 11, wherein degassing the molten material comprises utilizing a degassing apparatus, degassing method or combination thereof.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the degassing apparatus comprises a degassing wand.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the degassing method comprises a side-wall degassing method.

28. A sputtering target produced using the method of claim 11.

29. A method of analyzing inclusions, defects or a combination thereof in a material, comprising:

providing a liquid,

introducing the liquid into a liquid particle counter,

compressing the liquid,

introducing the liquid into a laser counting cell,

applying photons to the liquid, and

measuring light scattering data from the liquid.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the liquid comprises copper, aluminum or combinations thereof.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the liquid comprises at least one inclusion, defect or combination thereof.

32. A method for producing a sputtering target, comprising:

providing at least one alloy sputtering target material,

providing another sputtering target material comprising at least one component from the alloy material,

melting the sputtering target materials to provide a molten material, and

pouring the molten material into the target mold.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein pouring the molten material comprises under-pouring the molten material into a target mold.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein pouring the molten material comprises under-skimming the molten material into a target mold.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the at least one sputtering target material, the at least one alloy sputtering target material or a combination thereof has an effective melting point less than that of iron.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the alloy sputtering target material comprises copper, aluminum or a combination thereof.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the alloy sputtering target material comprises CuxAl or AlxCu, wherein x is less than about 30 weight percent.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the alloy sputtering target material comprises CuxAl or AlxCu, wherein x is from about 0.5 weight percent to about 30 weight percent.

39. The method of claim 32, wherein the molten material comprises at least one element having a high oxygen affinity.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the at least one element comprises Al, Cs, Mg, Sr, Sc, Y, Ti, Zr, Hf, Mn, the La series or a combination thereof.

41. A sputtering target produced from the method of claim 32.

46. A sputtering target, comprising:

at least one surface material, and

at least one core material coupled to the at least one surface material,

wherein at least one of the surface material and the core material comprises less than about 75000 defects.

47. The sputtering target of claim 46, wherein the at least one of the surface material and the core material comprises less than about 50000 defects.

48. The sputtering target of claim 47, wherein the at least one of the surface material and the core material comprises less than about 25000 defects.

49. The sputtering target of claim 48, wherein the at least one of the surface material and the core material comprises less than about 10000 defects.