Method and apparatus for reactive sputtering employing two control loops
First Claim
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1. A method of controlling a reactive sputtering process in a sputter system, the sputter system housing a target and being supplied with power and at least one reactive gas, the method comprising:
- sputtering the target;
controlling a parameter of a system power supply in view of a first process parameter; and
controlling a parameter of a system gas supply in view of a second process parameter, wherein said controlling a power supply parameter and said controlling a gas supply parameter are responsive to one another.
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Abstract
The present invention is a cascade control system for reactive sputtering deposition. A first control loop modifies the power supply in order to keep a monitored value nearly constant. This first control loop can be done relatively quickly. A second control loop monitors a second measure parameter in order to control the reactive gas flow to the system. In a preferred embodiment, the slower control loop is used to maintain a relatively constant power at the power supply.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of controlling a reactive sputtering process in a sputter system, the sputter system housing a target and being supplied with power and at least one reactive gas, the method comprising:
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sputtering the target; controlling a parameter of a system power supply in view of a first process parameter; and controlling a parameter of a system gas supply in view of a second process parameter, wherein said controlling a power supply parameter and said controlling a gas supply parameter are responsive to one another. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of controlling a reactive sputtering process in a sputter system, the sputter system housing a target and being supplied with power and at least one reactive gas, the method comprising:
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sputtering the target; monitoring a first process parameter; modifying a first system parameter in response to the first process parameter; monitoring a second process parameter; and modifying a second system parameter in response to the second process parameter, wherein said modifying a first system parameter and said modifying a second process parameter are responsive to one another. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A reactive sputtering system, comprising:
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a chamber which houses a target; a power supply for supplying power to the target; a gas supply for supplying at least one reactive gas to the chamber; and a processor for controlling said power supply in view of a first parameter, and for controlling said gas supply in view of a second parameter, wherein controlling said power supply and controlling said gas supply are responsive to one another. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification