Sputtering apparatus including target mounting and control
First Claim
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1. A sputtering target assembly for a single sputtering chamber of a sputter coating apparatus, comprising:
- a lid to seal off an opening to the chamber, the lid including a first part and a second part, the first part being separable from the second part;
a first pair of sputtering targets mounted to the first part of the lid for placement within the chamber, at a first distance from the lid, when the lid seals off the opening, each target of the first pair of sputtering targets being cylindrical and including a longitudinal axis about which the corresponding target of the first pair rotates, and both longitudinal axes of the first pair being located at the first distance, when the lid seals off the chamber; and
a second pair of sputtering targets mounted to the second part of the lid for placement within the chamber, at a second distance from the lid, when the lid seals off the opening, each target of the second pair of sputtering targets being cylindrical and including a longitudinal axis about which the corresponding target of the second pair rotates, and both longitudinal axes of the second pair being located at the second distance, when the lid seals off the chamber;
wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance such that the second pair of sputtering targets are spaced apart from the first pair of sputtering targets to allow conveyance of a substrate in between the first and second pairs of sputtering targets in a direction approximately parallel with the lid, when the lid seals off the opening; and
the longitudinal axis of each of the first pair of sputtering targets is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the corresponding target of the second pair of sputtering targets in order that both/opposing sides of the substrate can be simultaneously coated by the first and second pairs of sputtering targets when conveyed therebetween.
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Abstract
A sputtering chamber includes at least two sputtering targets, one of the at least two targets disposed on a first side a substrate conveyor extending within the chamber, and another of the at least two targets disposed on a second side of the conveyor. The at least two targets may be independently operable, and at least one of the targets, if inactivated, may be protected by a shielding apparatus. Both of the at least two targets may be mounted to a first wall of a plurality of walls enclosing the sputtering chamber.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A sputtering target assembly for a single sputtering chamber of a sputter coating apparatus, comprising:
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a lid to seal off an opening to the chamber, the lid including a first part and a second part, the first part being separable from the second part; a first pair of sputtering targets mounted to the first part of the lid for placement within the chamber, at a first distance from the lid, when the lid seals off the opening, each target of the first pair of sputtering targets being cylindrical and including a longitudinal axis about which the corresponding target of the first pair rotates, and both longitudinal axes of the first pair being located at the first distance, when the lid seals off the chamber; and a second pair of sputtering targets mounted to the second part of the lid for placement within the chamber, at a second distance from the lid, when the lid seals off the opening, each target of the second pair of sputtering targets being cylindrical and including a longitudinal axis about which the corresponding target of the second pair rotates, and both longitudinal axes of the second pair being located at the second distance, when the lid seals off the chamber; wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance such that the second pair of sputtering targets are spaced apart from the first pair of sputtering targets to allow conveyance of a substrate in between the first and second pairs of sputtering targets in a direction approximately parallel with the lid, when the lid seals off the opening; and the longitudinal axis of each of the first pair of sputtering targets is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the corresponding target of the second pair of sputtering targets in order that both/opposing sides of the substrate can be simultaneously coated by the first and second pairs of sputtering targets when conveyed therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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14. A method for deploying sputtering targets in a single sputtering chamber of a sputter coating apparatus, the method comprising:
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removing a first portion of a lid from over an opening of the single sputtering chamber, while leaving a second portion of the lid in place over the opening, the first portion of the lid having a first pair of cylindrical sputtering targets mounted thereto, and the second portion of the lid having a second pair of cylindrical sputtering targets mounted thereto; dismantling at least one of the first pair of cylindrical sputtering targets from the first portion of the lid; mounting a replacement cylindrical sputtering target to the first portion of the lid of the chamber in place of each of the at least one of the first pair of cylindrical sputtering targets that was dismantled from the first portion of the lid; and placing the first portion of the lid together with the second portion of the lid, which was left in place over the opening of the chamber, after mounting the at least one replacement cylindrical sputtering target thereto, to seal off the opening, such that the first pair of mounted cylindrical sputtering targets, including the at least one replacement cylindrical target, is spaced apart from the mounted second pair of cylindrical sputtering targets to allow a substrate, being conveyed through the chamber in a direction approximately parallel with the lid, to pass in between the first and second pairs of mounted cylindrical sputtering targets; and wherein a longitudinal axis of each of the first pair of mounted cylindrical sputtering targets is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the corresponding target of the second pair of mounted cylindrical sputtering targets in order than both/opposing sides of the substrate can be simultaneously coated by the first and second pairs of mounted cylindrical sputtering targets when passing in between the mounted targets. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification