Method for packaging target material and method for mounting target

• US 8,753,491 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2010
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Shunpei, Takayama, Toru, Sato, Keiji
• Primary Examiner(s): MCDONALD, RODNEY GLENN
• Application Number:
  US12/945,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20110114480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 204/298.12, 204/298.13, 204/192.1, 204/192.12
• US Class Current: 204/298.12
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/3407 Cathode assembly for sputtering apparatus, e.g. Target
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1225 with semiconductor materials not belonging to the group IV of the periodic table, e.g. InGaZnO
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

It is an object to provide a method for packaging a target material with which a thin film that is less contaminated with an impurity in the air such as a compound containing a hydrogen atom can be formed. In addition, it is an object to provide a method for mounting a target with which a thin film that is less contaminated with an impurity can be formed. In order to achieve the objects, a target material in a target is not exposed to the air and kept sealed after being manufactured until a deposition apparatus on which the target is mounted is evacuated.

Claims

1. A packaged sputtering target comprising:

a backing plate including a mounting portion for a placement portion;

a sintered body fixed to the backing plate; and

a package attached to the backing plate so as to surround the sintered body without covering the mounting portion,

wherein an inside of the package is filled with a gas having a dew point that is less than or equal to −

40°

C.,

wherein the sintered body comprises indium, gallium, and zinc,

wherein the package includes a valve, and

wherein the package comprises a metal plate, a metal foil, or a polymer film.

2. The packaged sputtering target according to claim 1, wherein the sintered body is used to form a semiconductor layer including a channel formation region of a transistor.

5. The packaged sputtering target according to claim 1, wherein the package is fitted to a fitting rail of the backing plate so as to seal the sintered body.

12. The packaged sputtering target according to claim 1, wherein a filling rate of the sintered body is 90% to 100%.

15. The packaged sputtering target according to claim 1, wherein the package comprises a silicon nitride film or a silicon oxide film.

3. A method for packaging a sputtering target, comprising:

fixing a sintered body to a backing plate including a mounting portion for a placement portion in an atmosphere in which dew point is less than or equal to −

40°

C.; and

attaching a package to the backing plate so as to surround the sintered body without covering the mounting portion in the atmosphere in which the dew point is less than or equal to −

40°

C.,

wherein the sintered body comprises indium, gallium, and zinc,

wherein the package includes a valve, and

wherein the package comprises a metal plate, a metal foil, or a polymer film.

6. The method for packaging a sputtering target according to claim 3, wherein the sintered body is used to form a semiconductor layer including a channel formation region of a transistor.

7. The method for packaging a sputtering target according to claim 3, further comprising:

performing heat treatment to the sintered body in an atmosphere including oxygen before fixing the sintered body so that an oxygen deficiency is reduced.

8. The method for packaging a sputtering target according to claim 3, wherein the package is fitted to a fitting rail of the backing plate so as to seal the sintered body.

13. The method for packaging a sputtering target according to claim 3, wherein a filling rate of the sintered body is 90% to 100%.

16. The method for packaging a sputtering target according to claim 3, wherein the package comprises a silicon nitride film or a silicon oxide film.

4. A method for mounting a packaged sputtering target, comprising:

storing a target material in a package without covering a mounting portion for a placement portion in an atmosphere in which dew point is less than or equal to −

40°

C.;

mounting the target material stored in the package on the placement portion in a deposition chamber of a deposition apparatus;

evacuating the deposition chamber;

filling the deposition chamber with an inert gas; and

detaching the package in the deposition chamber after the evacuating,

wherein the target material includes a sintered body and a backing plate,

wherein the sintered body comprises indium, gallium, and zinc

wherein the package includes a valve, and

wherein the package comprises a metal plate, a metal foil, or a polymer film.

9. The method for mounting the packaged sputtering target according to claim 4, wherein the sintered body is used to form a semiconductor layer including a channel formation region of a transistor.

10. The method for mounting the packaged sputtering target according to claim 4, wherein the package is fitted to a fitting rail of the backing plate so as to seal the sintered body.

11. The method for mounting the packaged sputtering target according to claim 4,

wherein the inert gas includes at least one of He, Ne, and Ar, and

wherein purity of the inert gas is higher than 99.9999%.

14. The method for mounting the packaged sputtering target according to claim 4, wherein a filling rate of the sintered body is 90% to 100%.

17. The method for mounting the packaged sputtering target according to claim 4, wherein the package comprises a silicon nitride film or a silicon oxide film.