Sputtering magnetron

• US 6,156,171 A
• Filed: 04/09/1993
• Issued: 12/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Seagate Technology plc (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Smith, Robert M., Hollars, Dennis R., Payne, Gary L., Bonigut, Josef, Waltrip, Delbert F., Zubeck, Robert B.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, NAM X
• Application Number:
  US08/045,989
• Time in Patent Office: 2,797 Days
• Field of Search: 204/192.12, 204/192.2, 204/298.03, 204/298.25, 204/298.26, 204/298.27, 204/298.28, 204/298.29, 204/298.19, 204/298.09, 204/298.11
• US Class Current: 204/298.25
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/02 Pretreatment of the material to be coated C23C14/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/028 Physical treatment to alter the texture of the substrate surface, e.g. grinding, polishing
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/34 Sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/35 by application of a magnetic field, e.g. magnetron sputtering C23C14/3457 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/352 using more than one target C23C14/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/50 Substrate holders
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/54 Controlling or regulating the coating process
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/541 Heating or cooling of the substrates
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/568 Transferring the substrates through a series of coating stations C23C14/562 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/052 Linking several PLC's
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4189 characterised by the transport system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31225 System structure, plc's and pc's communicate over lan
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31237 Host and rs232, rs485 to network controller and rs232 to controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32413 Pc generates control strategy, download in plc to monitor and react to events
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34029 Pam programmable axis controller, to control large number of axis
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34279 Pc, personal computer as controller
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34287 Plc and motion controller combined
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34304 Pc as input, edit device for plc
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/50363 Load unload with two robots, one to load, other to unload
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/851 Coating a support with a magnetic layer by sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32733 : Means for moving the material to be treated
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3405 : Magnetron sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6715 : Apparatus for applying a liquid, a resin, an ink or the like H01L21/67126 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67173 : in-line arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67207 : comprising a chamber adapted to a particular process
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67213 : comprising at least one ion or electron beam chamber coating by ion implantation C23C; ion or electron beam tubes H01J37/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67236 : the substrates being processed being not semiconductor wafers, e.g. leadframes or chips
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67253 : Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67259 : Position monitoring, e.g. misposition detection or presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67276 : Production flow monitoring, e.g. for increasing throughput program-control systems per se G05B19/00, e.g. total factory control G05B19/418
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67712 : the substrate being handled substantially vertically
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67721 : the substrates to be conveyed not being semiconductor wafers or large planar substrates, e.g. chips, lead frames H01L21/6773 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6776 : Continuous loading and unloading into and out of a processing chamber, e.g. transporting belts within processing chambers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/10 : Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/40 : Minimising material used in manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 : Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

An apparatus in accordance with the present invention provides a single or multi-layer coating to the surface of a plurality of substrates. The apparatus may include a plurality of buffer and sputtering chambers, and an input end and an output end, wherein said substrates are transported through said chambers of said apparatus at varying rates of speed such that the rate of speed of a pallet from said input end to said output end is a constant for each of said plurality of pallets. A high throughput sputtering apparatus having a plurality of integrally matched components in accordance with the present invention may further include means for transporting a plurality of substrates through said sputtering chambers at variable velocities; means for reducing the ambient pressure within said sputtering chambers to a vacuum level within a pressure range sufficient to enable sputtering operation; means for heating said plurality of substrates to a temperature conducive to sputtering said coatings thereon, said means for heating providing a substantially uniform temperature profile over the surface of said substrates; and control means for providing control signals to and for receiving feedback input from, said sputtering chambers, means for transporting, means for reducing, and means for heating, said control means being programmable for allowing control over said means for sputtering, means for transporting, means for reducing and means for heating.

Claims

1. A high throughput sputtering apparatus for providing a single or multi-layer coating to the surface of a plurality of substrates, said apparatus comprising:

a plurality of buffer and sputtering chambers, said sputtering chambers including;

a plurality of planar cathodes, each with first and second surfaces, wherein the cathodes are mounted within said sputtering chambers in a plane oriented substantially parallel to a plane including the plurality of substrates,

a plurality of targets positioned on the first surfaces to provide sources for films to be sputtered,

magnet means for generating magnetic flux lines over the first surfaces and the targets, which lines are sufficient to support sputtering and form substantially horizontal flux paths parallel to the first surfaces and the targets, and

a shield for shielding the substrates from obliquely incident deposition from the targets, the shield including flanges extending from the cathodes and projecting toward the substrates.

2. A sputtering apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of channels configured in the second surfaces to receive and support the magnet means in an arrangement based upon the composition of the plurality of targets.

3. A sputtering apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a means for cooling the plurality of cathodes, the means for cooling disposed on the second surfaces to protect the magnet means from corrosion.

4. A sputtering apparatus for providing multilayered thin films on substrates for magnetic recording media, comprising:

a) a first chamber along a substrate transport path to provide a controlled sputtering environment for an underlayer of the film;

b) a second chamber along the path and isolated from the first chamber, the second chamber providing a controlled sputtering environment for a magnetic layer of the film;

c) a third chamber along the path and isolated from the first and second chambers, the third chamber providing a controlled sputtering environment for a protective overlayer of the film;

d) a plurality of planar cathodes, each with first and second surfaces, wherein the cathodes are mounted within the chambers, the surfaces being parallel to the path;

e) a first target disposed on each of the first surfaces of the cathodes mounted within the first chamber, the first target having a nonmagnetic composition to provide the underlayer;

f) a second target disposed on each of the first surfaces of the cathodes mounted within the second chamber, the second target having a magnetic composition to provide the magnetic layer;

g) a third target disposed on each of the first surfaces of the cathodes mounted within the third chamber, the third target having a nonmagnetic composition to provide the protective overlayer;

h) a plurality of channels disposed in the second surfaces;

i) magnet means disposed in the channels, the magnet means arrayed to optimize target utilization based on the composition of the respective targets;

j) a means for cooling the cathodes, the means for cooling disposed in the second surfaces to protect the magnet means from corrosion; and

k) a shield for shielding the substrates from obliquely incident deposition from the targets, the shield including flanges extending from the cathodes and projecting toward the substrates.

5. An in-line sputtering apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first target is comprised of chromium.

6. An in-line sputtering apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second target is comprised of cobalt, chromium and tantalum.

7. An in-line sputtering apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the third target is comprised of carbon.