Methods and apparatus for sputtering using direct current

• US 9,150,960 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2012
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AES Global Holdings Pte Ltd. (Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. (China))
• Original Assignee: Advanced Energy Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Nauman, Ken, Walde, Hendrik V., Christie, David J., Fries, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): MCDONALD, RODNEY GLENN
• Application Number:
  US13/417,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20120171390A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,303 Days
• Field of Search: 204/192.12, 204/192.13, 204/298.03, 204/298.08
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/3485 using pulsed power to the target
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/3492 Variation of parameters during sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/54 Controlling or regulating the coating process
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/542 Controlling the film thickness or evaporation rate
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/548 Controlling the composition
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/564 Means for minimising impurities in the coating chamber such as dust, moisture, residual gases

Abstract

An apparatus and methods for plasma-based sputtering deposition using a direct current power supply is disclosed. In one embodiment, a plasma is generated by connecting a plurality of electrodes to a supply of current, and a polarity of voltage applied to each of a plurality of electrodes in the processing chamber is periodically reversed so that at least one of the electrodes sputters material on to the substrate. And an amount of power that is applied to at least one of the plurality of electrodes is modulated so as to deposit the material on the stationary substrate with a desired characteristic. In some embodiments, the substrate is statically disposed in the chamber during processing. And many embodiments utilize feedback indicative of the state of the deposition to modulate the amount of power applied to one or more electrodes.

Claims

1. A method for depositing material on a substrate comprising:

placing the substrate in a plasma processing chamber, a plasma being generated by connecting two electrodes to a supply of current;

periodically reversing a polarity of a pulsed direct current voltage applied to each of the two electrodes in the processing chamber, each of the two electrodes operating as an anode, a cathode, and a sputtering target to eject material to form a deposition layer on the substrate;

monitoring a thickness of the deposition layer on the substrate;

detecting a thinner portion of the deposition layer that is closer to a first of the sputtering targets than a second of the sputtering targets; and

differentially sputtering, in response to detecting the thinner portion, more material from the first of the sputtering targets relative to a second of the sputtering targets by increasing power applied by negative pulses to the first of the sputtering targets, wherein positive pulses are applied to the second of the sputtering targets concurrently with the negative pulses that are applied to the first of the sputtering targets.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the voltage applied to each of the two electrodes is applied by a corresponding one of at least two power supplies.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein differentially sputtering includes modulating a duty cycle of the power applied to the first of the sputtering targets.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein differentially sputtering includes modulating a magnitude of the power applied to the first of the sputtering targets.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the material is a transparent conducting oxide.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the material is metallic.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the material is ceramic.

8. The method of claim 3, where the duty cycle is other than 50%.

9. A system for depositing material on a substrate in a plasma processing chamber, comprising:

a direct current power source configured to deliver pulsed DC voltage to two or more electrodes within a plasma sputtering chamber, wherein each of the two or more electrodes operate as an anode, a cathode, and a sputtering target to eject material to form a deposition layer on the substrate;

at least one sensor disposed and configured to monitor a thickness of a corresponding portion of the deposition layer; and

a power control component in communication with the direct current power source and the at least one sensor, the power control component configured to differentially control power applied to negative pulses of a particular one of the electrodes to differentially sputter more material from the particular electrode in response to a particular one of the at least one sensor indicating the thickness of a particular portion of the deposition layer is thinner than another portion of the deposition layer.

10. The system of claim 9 including:

a second direct power source configured to deliver power to a plasma sputtering chamber; and

a second power control component in communication with the second direct current power source and configured to direct the power to two more electrodes within the plasma sputtering chamber.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the material is a transparent conducting oxide.