Sputter-coating target and method of use
First Claim
1. In an apparatus for sputter-coating a layer coating comprised of a metal or a reaction product thereof onto a substrate, said coating being required to meet certain physical characteristics determined prior to sputter-coating, said apparatus including a depletable cathode target system and an anode, said anode being so located such that said layer coating is deposited onto both said substrate and said anode during said sputter-coating, said cathode target system being comprised of a metal coating component and said metal coating component being of such a nature that said coating layer formed therefrom or a reaction product thereof will be sufficiently electrically non-conductive to render said anode inoperative at a time significantly prior to said cathode target system becoming operatively depleted, the improvement comprising wherein said cathode target system is further comprised of a dopant component which by itself or its reactive product, after being sputter-coated onto said anode, is substantially electrically conductive and is in an amount sufficient and so located such that the resulting layer coating formed on said anode is sufficiently electrically conductive so as to maintain said anode operative until said time said cathode target system becomes substantially operatively depleted and wherein said resulting layer coating formed on said substrate meets the said certain physical characteristics determined prior to sputter-coating.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sputter coating target which alleviates the need for anode reconditioning due to a buildup of a nonconductive coating comprises a coating component which itself or its reactive product is substantially electrically nonconductive and a dopant component which itself or its reactive product is substantially electrically conductive.
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Citations
23 Claims
- 1. In an apparatus for sputter-coating a layer coating comprised of a metal or a reaction product thereof onto a substrate, said coating being required to meet certain physical characteristics determined prior to sputter-coating, said apparatus including a depletable cathode target system and an anode, said anode being so located such that said layer coating is deposited onto both said substrate and said anode during said sputter-coating, said cathode target system being comprised of a metal coating component and said metal coating component being of such a nature that said coating layer formed therefrom or a reaction product thereof will be sufficiently electrically non-conductive to render said anode inoperative at a time significantly prior to said cathode target system becoming operatively depleted, the improvement comprising wherein said cathode target system is further comprised of a dopant component which by itself or its reactive product, after being sputter-coated onto said anode, is substantially electrically conductive and is in an amount sufficient and so located such that the resulting layer coating formed on said anode is sufficiently electrically conductive so as to maintain said anode operative until said time said cathode target system becomes substantially operatively depleted and wherein said resulting layer coating formed on said substrate meets the said certain physical characteristics determined prior to sputter-coating.
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17. In a method for sputter-coating a layer coating comprised of a metal or a reaction product thereof onto a substrate, said coating being required to meet certain physical characteristics determined prior to sputter-coating, said method including:
- providing a depletable cathode target system which includes a metal coating component, said metal coating component being of such a nature that said coating layer formed therefrom or a reaction product thereof will be sufficiently electrically non-conductive to render said anode inoperative at a time significantly prior to said cathode target system becoming operatively depleted;
providing an anode;
locating said anode in a position such that said layer coating will be deposited onto both said substrate and said anode during ;
said sputter-coating and sputter-coating said layer coating onto said substrate and said anode, the improvement comprising;
including in said cathode target system a dopant component which by itself or its reaction product, after being sputter-coated onto said anode, is substantially sufficient and so located such that the resulting layer coating formed on said anode is sufficiently electrically conductive so as to maintain said anode operative until said time said cathode target system becomes substantially operatively depleted and wherein said resulting layer coating formed on said substrate meets the said certain physical characteristics determined prior to sputter-coating; and
sputter-coating said dopant component as well as said metal coating component onto said substrate and said anode whereby the resulting layer coating formed on said substrate meets the said certain physical characteristics determined prior to said sputter-coating and the resulting coating on said anode remains operatively electrically conductive until said cathode target system is substantially operatively depleted. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
- providing a depletable cathode target system which includes a metal coating component, said metal coating component being of such a nature that said coating layer formed therefrom or a reaction product thereof will be sufficiently electrically non-conductive to render said anode inoperative at a time significantly prior to said cathode target system becoming operatively depleted;
Specification