Method for combined treatment of an object with an ion beam and a magnetron plasma with a combined magnetron-plasma and ion-beam source

• US 6,153,067 A
• Filed: 12/30/1998
• Issued: 11/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advanced Ion Beam Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Advanced Ion Beam Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Velikov, Leonid, Ritter, James, Maishev, Yuri
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cantelmo, Gregg
• Application Number:
  US09/222,015
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 204/298.04, 204/192.11, 204/192.12, 204/298.16, 204/298.17, 204/298.18, 204/298.19, 204/298.2, 204/298.21, 204/298.22, 204/298.05 , 204/298.26, 204/298.12
• US Class Current: 204/298.04
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/228 Gas flow assisted PVD deposition
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/35 by application of a magnetic field, e.g. magnetron sputtering C23C14/3457 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 27/14 Other arc discharge ion sources using an applied magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/08 Ion sources; Ion guns
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3408 Planar magnetron sputtering

Abstract

A method for combined treatment of an object simultaneously with an ion beam and a magnetron plasma consists in that an object, e.g., a semiconductor substrate, is treated with ions of a working gas emitted from an ion-beam source and with particles of a sputterable material directed toward the object in the same direction as the ion beam. The method is carried our by means of an apparatus that comprises a combination of a sputtering magnetron with an ion-beam source. According to several embodiments, the cathode of the ion source is separated into two parts electrically isolated from each other by a closed-loop ion-emitting slit and by isolation pads. The sputterable target is placed either onto the entire cathode or onto part thereof which is charged negatively with respect to another part which is grounded. During the operation of the apparatus, ion beam emitted from the ion source acts as a viral anode with respect to the magnetron target. As a result, the efficiency and versatility of treatment is improved, and the combined apparatus has smaller dimensions and less expensive than an ion source and magnetron used separately.

Claims

1. A combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source for treating an object comprising:

an ion beam source for emitting an ion beam in a direction toward said object, said ion beam source having a cathode, an anode, and at least one ion-emitting slit in said cathode;

a planar sputtering magnetron having a target of a sputterable material for sputtering particles of said material,

said magnetron having a direction of sputtering of said sputterable material which is coaxial with said direction toward said object, so that said object is simultaneously treated with said ion beam and with said particles of said sputterable material.

2. The combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source of claim 1, further comprising:

a sealed housing in which said ion beam source and said planar sputtering magnetron are located, said sealed housing being connected with a vacuum source and is evacuated, said sealed housing having an opening for connection to a source of a gaseous working medium required for operation of said ion beam source, said object being grounded and being located above said at least one ion-emitting slit.

3. The combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source of claim 2, wherein said ion-beam source is a cold-cathode type ion beam source having electrons drifting in crossed electric and magnetic fields, said combined planar sputtering magnetron/ion beam source further comprising:

a first direct current electric power source with a first positive terminal and a first negative terminal and a second direct current power source having a second positive terminal and a second negative terminal, said first positive terminal being connected to said anode, and said first negative terminal being connected to said cathode and said target of a sputterable material, said housing being electrically isolated from said cathode and said anode, said second positive terminal being grounded, and said second negative terminal being connected to said first negative terminal, said target of a sputterable material having at least one opening aligned with said at least one ion-emitting slit for passing said ion beam from said ion-beam source through said planar sputtering magnetron toward said object.

4. The combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source of claim 3, further comprising switching means for switching connection of said cathode and target between said first direct current electric power source and ground.

5. The combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source of claim 3, further comprising means for releasably connecting said target of a sputterable material to said cathode.

6. The combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source of claim 5, wherein said cathode comprises a first part which is releasably engaged to and from said target of a sputterable material, and a second part spaced from said first part, said combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source further comprising a magnetic field generation means which comprises at least one permanent magnet located between said first part and said second part in a magnetoconductive relationship therewith to generate a magnetic field that passes through said at least one ion-emitting slit.

7. The combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source of claim 2, further comprising:

a first direct current electric power source with a first positive terminal and a first negative terminal and a second direct current power source having a second positive terminal and a second negative terminal, said first positive terminal being connected to said anode, and said first negative terminal being grounded and being connected to said second positive terminal, said second negative terminal being connected to said cathode and said target of a sputterable material, said housing being electrically isolated from said cathode and said anode, said second positive terminal being grounded, said target of a sputterable material having at least one opening aligned with said at least one ion-emitting slit for passing said ion beam from said ion-beam source through said planar sputtering magnetron toward said object.

8. The combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source of claim 7, further comprising switching means for switching connection of said cathode and target between said second direct current electric power source and ground.

9. The combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source of claim 7, further comprising means for releasably connecting said target of a sputterable material to said cathode.

10. The combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source of claim 8, wherein said cathode comprises a first part which is releasably engaged to and from said target of a sputterable material, and a second part spaced from said first part, said combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source further comprising a magnetic field generation means which comprises at least one permanent magnet located between said first part and said second part in a magnetoconductive relationship therewith to generate a magnetic field that passes through said at least one ion-emitting slit.

11. The combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source of claim 3, further comprising:

at least one permanent magnet for generating a magnetic field across said ion-emitting slit, said cathode consisting of an inner part and an outer part separated by said ion emitting slit and being electrically isolated from each other by an isolating means, said inner part of said cathode being grounded, said target of a sputterable material having a ring-shaped form and is placed onto said outer part of cathode in an electroconductive relation therewith.

12. The combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source of claim 3, further comprising:

at least one permanent magnet for generating a magnetic field across said ion-emitting slit, said cathode consisting of an inner part and an outer part separated by said ion-emitting slit and being electrically isolated from each other by an isolating means, said negative terminal being connected to said inner part of said cathode, said outer part of said cathode being grounded, said target of a sputterable material having a disk-shaped form and is placed onto said inner part of cathode in an electroconductive relation therewith.

13. The combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source of claim 3, further comprising:

a second direct current electric power source having a second positive terminal and a second negative terminal;

at least one permanent magnet for generating a magnetic field across said ion-emitting slit, said cathode consisting of an inner part and an outer part separated by said ion emitting slit, said first negative terminal being grounded and being connected to said outer part of said cathode, said second positive terminal being connected to said outer part of said cathode and being grounded, and said second negative terminal being connected to said outer part of said cathode, said target of a sputterable material being made in the form of a ring which is placed onto said outer part of said cathode an electroconductive relation therewith.

14. The combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source of claim 3, further comprising:

a second direct current electric power source having a second positive terminal and a second negative terminal;

at least one permanent magnet for generating a magnetic field across said ion-emitting slit, said cathode consisting of an inner part and an outer part separated by said ion emitting slit, said first negative terminal being grounded and being connected to said outer part of said cathode, said second positive terminal being grounded and being connected to said first negative terminal, said second negative terminal being connected to said inner part of said cathode, said target of a sputterable material being placed onto said inner part of said cathode and being in an electroconductive relation therewith.

15. The combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source of claim 3, further comprising:

said target of a sputterable material having a ring-shaped form, being separated from said cathode and is located in a space between said cathode and said object, and said object being grounded, said target of a sputterable having an opening with a diameter greater than said ion-emitting slit in order not to obstruct said ion-emitting slit.

16. The combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source of claim 3, further comprising:

said target of a sputterable material being placed onto said cathode in an electroconductive relationship therewith, said negative terminal being connected to said cathode and to the ground via switch so that cathode together with said negative terminal is selectively connected to the ground via said switch.

17. A combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source for treating an object comprising:

an ion beam source for emitting an ion beam in a direction toward said object, said ion beam source having a cathode, an anode, at least one ion-emitting slit in said cathode, a first electric power source for generating an electric field across said at least one ion-emitting slit, and a source of a magnetic field, said magnetic field passing through said cathode, anode, and said at least one ion-emitting slit;

a planar sputtering magnetron having a virtual anode which appears during operation of said ion-beam source and a target of a sputterable material for sputtering particles of said material, said target being located above said cathode and having at least one slit which is aligned with said at least one ion-emitting slit of said cathode for passing said ion beam sequentially through said at least one ion-emitting slit of said cathode and said at least one slit of said target in said direction toward said object;

said virtual anode being said ion beam which is positively charged with respect to said cathode and said target and functions as a virtual anode during operation of said ion source;

said planar sputtering magnetron having a direction of sputtering of said particles of a sputterable material which is coaxial with said direction of said ion beam, so that said object is treated simultaneously with said ion beam and with said particles of said sputterable material.

18. The combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source of claim 17, wherein said first electric power source is a direct current power source having a first positive terminal and a first negative terminal, said combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source further comprising a second direct current power source having a second positive terminal and a second negative terminal;

said object being grounded, said first positive terminal being electrically connected to said anode, said first negative terminal being connected to said cathode, said second positive terminal being grounded, and said second negative terminal being electrically connected to said first negative terminal.

19. The combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source of claim 18, wherein said target is laid onto said cathode and is in electric contact therewith, said cathode comprising a first cathode part which supports said target and is in electric contact therewith and a second cathode part which is electrically connected to said first cathode part, said first cathode part and said target having a plurality of first openings, said first anode means having a plurality of second openings having walls, said second cathode part having a plurality of rods of a magnetoconductive material which are in magnetoconductive relationship with said first cathode part and said second cathode part, said rods passing through said second openings of said anode without contact with said walls of said second openings towards said first cathode part.

20. A combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source apparatus for treating an object comprising:

a combination of a planar sputtering magnetron for sputtering at least one target of a sputterable material in a direction toward said object with a cold-cathode type ion source for coaxially emitting an ion beam in said direction, said cold-cathode type ion source having electrons drifting in crossed electric and magnetic field in said direction,

said ion beam source having an anode, and a closed-loop ion emitting slit, and a cathode;

said planar sputtering magnetron having a virtual anode which appears during operation of said ion-beam source and a target of a sputterable material for sputtering particles of said material, said target having at least one opening aligned with said at least one ion-emitting slit for passing said ion beam toward said object, said virtual anode being said ion beam which is positively charged and functions during operation of said ion source.

21. The combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source of claim 20 wherein a space is formed inside said combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source for placing said object, said direction is a radial inward direction for treating said object simultaneously from opposites sides of said object.

22. The combined sputtering magnetron/closef-loop ion beam source of claim 20 wherein said ion-emitting slit is formed on an outer periphery of said cathode, said at least one target being located on an outer surface of said cathode, said direction being in a radial outward direction, so that two objects are placed on said opposite sides of said combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source for simultaneous treatment.

23. A method of treating at least one object simultaneously with an ion beam emitted in a direction toward said at least one object and with particles of a sputterable material, comprising:

providing an ion source for emitting a beam of ions of a working medium combined with a planar sputtering magnetron for sputtering said a sputterable material, said planar sputtering magnetron having a direction of sputtering of said particles of a sputterable material which is coaxial with said direction towards said at least one object;

activating said ion source for emitting said beam of ions in said direction toward said at least one object;

activating said planar sputtering magnetron and sputtering said particles of said sputterable material simultaneously with the emission of beam of ions.

24. A combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source for treating an object comprising:

an ion beam source for emitting an ion beam in a direction toward said object, said ion beam source having a cathode, an anode, and at least one ion-emitting slit in said cathode;

a planar sputtering magnetron having a target of a sputterable material for sputtering particles of said material, said magnetron having a direction of sputtering of said sputterable material which is coaxial with said direction toward said object, so that said object is treated simultaneously with said ion beam and with said particles of said sputterable material;

a sealed housing in which said ion beam source and said planar sputtering magnetron are located, said sealed housing being connected with a vacuum source and is evacuated, said sealed housing having an opening for connection to a source of a gaseous working medium required for operation of said ion beam source, said object being grounded and being located above said at least one ion-emitting slit, said ion-beam source being a cold-cathode type ion beam source having electrons drifting in crossed electric and magnetic fields;

a first direct current electric power source with a first positive terminal and a first negative terminal and a second direct current power source having a second positive terminal and a second negative terminal, said first positive terminal being connected to said anode, and said first negative terminal being connected to said cathode and said target of a sputterable material, said housing being electrically isolated from said cathode and said anode, said second positive terminal being grounded, and said second negative terminal being connected to said first negative terminal, said target of a sputterable material having at least one opening aligned with said at least one ion-emitting slit for passing said ion beam from said ion-beam source through said planar sputtering magnetron toward said object, said cathode comprising a first part which is releasably engaged to and from said target of a sputterable material, and a second part spaced from said first part; and

a magnetic field generation means comprise at least one permanent magnet located between said first part and said second part in a magnetoconductive relationship therewith to generate a magnetic field that passes through said at least one ion-emitting slit.

25. The combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source of claim 24, further comprising:

switching means for switching connection of said cathode and target between said second direct current source and ground, said cathode comprising a first part which is releasably engaged to and from said target of sputterable material, and a second part spaced from said first part, said combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source further comprising a magnetic field generation means located between said first part and said second part in a magnetoconductive relationship therewith so as to generate a magnetic field that passes through said at least one ion-emitting slit.

26. A combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source for treating an object comprising:

an ion beam source for emitting an ion beam in a direction toward said object, said ion beam source having a cathode, an anode, and at least one ion-emitting slit in said cathode;

a planar sputtering magnetron having a target of a sputterable material for sputtering particles of said material, said magnetron having a direction of sputtering of said sputterable material which is coaxial with said direction toward said object, so that said object is treated simultaneously with said ion beam and with said particles of said sputterable material;

a sealed housing in which said ion beam source and said planar sputtering magnetron are located, said sealed housing being connected with a vacuum source and is evacuated, said sealed housing having an opening for connection to a source of a gaseous working medium required for operation of said ion beam source, said object being grounded and being located above said at least one ion-emitting slit, said ion-beam source being a cold-cathode type ion beam source having electrons drifting in crossed electric and magnetic fields;

a first direct current electric power source with a first positive terminal and a first negative terminal and a second direct current power source having a second positive terminal and a second negative terminal, said first positive terminal being connected to said anode, and said first negative terminal being connected to said cathode and said target of a sputterable material, said housing being electrically isolated from said cathode and said anode, said second positive terminal being grounded, and said second negative terminal being connected to said first negative terminal, said target of a sputterable material having at least one opening aligned with said at least one ion-emitting slit for passing said ion beam from said ion-beam source through said planar sputtering magnetron toward said object;

at least one permanent magnet for generating a magnetic field across said ion-emitting slit, said cathode consisting of an inner part and an outer part separated by said ion emitting slit and being electrically isolated from each other by an isolating means, said negative terminal being connected to said outer part of said cathode, said inner part of said cathode being grounded, said target of a sputterable material having a ring-shaped form and is placed onto said outer part of cathode in an electroconductive relation therewith.

27. A combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source for treating an object comprising:

an ion beam source for emitting an ion beam in a direction toward the said object, said ion beam source having a cathode, an anode, and at least one ion-emitting slit in said cathode;

a planar sputtering magnetron having a target of a sputterable material for sputtering particles of said material, said magnetron having a direction of sputtering of said sputterable material which is coaxial with said direction toward said object, so that said object is treated simultaneously with said ion beam and with said particles of said sputterable material;

a sealed housing in which said ion beam source and said planar sputtering magnetron are located, said sealed housing being connected with a vacuum source and is evacuated, said sealed housing having an opening for connection to a source of a gaseous working medium required for operation of said ion beam source, said object being grounded and being located above said at least one ion-emitting slit, said ion-beam source being a cold-cathode type ion beam source having electrons drifting in crossed electric and magnetic fields;

a first direct current electric power source with a first positive terminal and a first negative terminal and a second direct current power source having a second positive terminal and a second negative terminal, said first positive terminal being connected to said anode, and said first negative terminal being connected to said cathode and said target of a sputterable material, said housing being electrically isolated from said cathode and said anode, said second positive terminal being grounded, and said second negative terminal being connected to said first negative terminal, said target of a sputterable material having at least one opening aligned with said at least one ion-emitting slit for passing said ion beam from said ion-beam source through said planar sputtering magnetron toward said object;

at least one permanent magnet for generating a magnetic field across said ion-emitting slit, said cathode consisting of an inner part and an outer part separated by said ion-emitting slit and being electrically isolated from each other by an isolating means, said negative terminal being connected to said inner part of said cathode, said outer part of said cathode being grounded, said target of a sputterable material having a disk-shaped form and is placed onto said inner part of cathode in an electroconductive relation therewith.

28. A combined sputtering magnetron/ion beam source for treating an object comprising:

an ion beam source for emitting an ion beam in a direction toward said object, said ion beam source having a cathode, an anode, and at least one ion-emitting slit in said cathode;

a planar sputtering magnetron having a target of a sputterable material for sputtering particles of said material, said magnetron having a direction of sputtering of said sputterable material which is coaxial with said direction toward said object, so that said object is treated simultaneously with said ion beam and with said particles of said sputterable material;

a sealed housing in which said ion beam source and said planar sputtering magnetron are located, said sealed housing being connected with a vacuum source and is evacuated, said sealed housing having an opening for connection to a source of a gaseous working medium required for operation of said ion beam source, said object being grounded and being located above said at least one ion-emitting slit, said ion-beam source being a cold-cathode type ion beam source having electrons drifting in crossed electric and magnetic fields;

a first direct current electric power source with a first positive terminal and a first negative terminal and a second direct current power source having a second positive terminal and a second negative terminal, said first positive terminal being connected to said anode, and said first negative terminal being connected to said cathode and said target of a sputterable material, said housing being electrically isolated from said cathode and said anode, said second positive terminal being grounded, and said second negative terminal being connected to said first negative terminal, said target of a sputterable material having at least one opening aligned with said at least one ion-emitting slit for passing said ion beam from said ion-beam source through said planar sputtering magnetron toward said object;

said target of a sputterable material having a ring-shaped form, being separated from said cathode and is located in a space between said cathode and said object, and said object being grounded, said ring-shaped target of a sputterable material having an opening with a diameter greater than said ion-emitting slit in order not to obstruct the passage of the ion-emitting slit.