Arc source and magnet configuration

• US 20080110749A1
• Filed: 05/14/2007
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oerlikon Surface Solutions Ag, PfAffikon (OC Oerlikon Corporation AG)
• Original Assignee: Oerlikon Surface Solutions Ag, PfAffikon (OC Oerlikon Corporation AG)
• Inventors: Hagmann, Jurg, Gwehenberger, Juergen, Krassnitzer, Siegfried
• Granted Patent: US 9,165,749 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/192.38
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/325 Electric arc evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/564 Means for minimising impurities in the coating chamber such as dust, moisture, residual gases
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32055 Arc discharge
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32614 Consumable cathodes for arc discharge
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3266 Magnetic control means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/345 Magnet arrangements in particular for cathodic sputtering apparatus material of magnets or magnets in general H01F1/00, H01F7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3452 Magnet distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3458 Electromagnets in particular for cathodic sputtering apparatus electromagnets in general H01F7/06

Abstract

The invention relates to an arc source with a target (1) having a target front face (2) for the vacuum vaporization of the target material, a target backside with a cooling plate (4), a central target region (Z) as well as a target margin. The arc source further comprises a magnet configuration (8, 9) with an inner magnet system (8) and/or an outer magnet system (9) for the generation of a magnetic field in the proximity of the target front face. At least one of the magnet systems (8) is herein radially poled and effects alone or in connection with the particular other magnet system that the field lines of the magnetic field extend here substantially parallel to the target front face (2).

Claims

1. Arc source with a target (1) comprising a target front face (2) for vacuum arc vaporization of the target material, a target backside, a central target region (Z) as well as a target margin region (A) with a target margin, an inner magnet system (8) in the proximity of the central target region (Z) and/or an outer magnet system (9) in the proximity of the target margin, for generating a magnetic field in the proximity of the target front face (2), characterized in that the inner (8) and/or the outer (9) magnet system comprises at least dipoles (D₈, D₉) which are oriented at least predominantly parallel to the target front face (2) and this magnet system alone or in connection with the other magnet system effects that on the target front face the magnetic field components parallel (Br) to the target front face (2) in a region (R′

) of at least 80% of the target front face (2) are greater than the magnetic field components perpendicular (Bz) to the target front face (2).

2. Arc source as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the region is at least 90% of the target front face.

3. Arc source as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the pole faces (P8) of the magnets forming the dipoles (D8) are substantially perpendicular to the target front face (2) or these magnets have pole faces (P) whose face normal (n) points away from said front face (2).

4. Arc source as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the parallel magnetic field components (Br) in the region ®

′

) are 20-60 Gauss, preferably 40-50 Gauss.

5. Arc source as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that in the central target region (Z) a cover (20) is provided electrically insulated from the target.

6. Arc source as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the cover masks the central target region at least up to the locus (O_45°

), at which, progressing from the central region (S) of the target (1) toward its margin, the parallel (Br) and the perpendicular (Bz) magnetic field components are first of equal magnitude.

7. Arc source as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the cover (20) is comprised of a magnetically soft material and/or of a high-temperature resistant magnetic alloy and/or of electrically insulating material.

8. Arc source as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the cover (20) is flush in contact on the target front face (2).

9. Arc source as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the cover (20) is counter-sunk (25) into the target front face (2).

10. Arc source as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the counter-sinking is 0.5 mm to 6 mm.

11. Arc source as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a cooling plate (4, 27) is provided at the target backside and the or at least one of the magnet systems (8, 9), preferably, and if provided, the inner magnet system (8), is disposed on or in, respectively, the target (1) and/or cooling plate (27).

12. Arc source as claimed in one of claim 1, characterized in that the or at least one of the magnet systems, preferably, and if provided, the inner magnet system (8), is at least partially disposed in a backside recess (29) in the target (1).

13. Arc source as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that the inner magnet system (8) is at least partially disposed in the recess (29) and the recess extends (29a) through the target and the inner magnet system (8) is masked by a cover (20).

14. Arc source as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the magnet system comprises permanent magnets with dipoles at least predominantly parallel to the target front face, which magnets are substantially uniformly distributed in a plane substantially parallel to the target front face along a closed loop (6,6′

) with magnetic dipoles (D) directed identically with respect to the loop.

15. Arc source as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the or at least one of the magnet systems comprises a coil (10, 10′

) looped around the target center.

16. Arc source as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the outer magnet system (9) is provided and at least portions of it project beyond the target margin.

17. Arc source as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that only the outer magnet system (9) is provided and comprises dipoles at least predominantly parallel to the target front face, or that only the inner magnet system is provided and comprises at least dipoles at least predominantly parallel to the target front face, or that the outer and the inner magnet systems are provided, at least one of which comprises dipoles at least predominantly parallel, the other dipoles at least predominantly perpendicular to the target front face or both magnet systems are provided and both comprise dipoles at least predominantly parallel to the target front face, preferably identically directed with respect to the target center.

18. Arc source as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that both magnet systems are provided and the outer is substantially disposed in one plane with the inner.

19. Arc source as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the or at least one of the magnet systems is disposed on or behind the target backside.

20. Arc source as claimed in claim 19, characterized in that the or at least one of the magnet systems which is disposed on or behind the target backside, is separated vacuum-tight (30) from the target front face (2).

21. Arc source as claimed in claim 19, characterized in that the or at least one of the magnet systems is a part of a changeover magnet configuration (31).

22. Arc source as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the or at least one of the magnet systems is structured along a closed loop (6,6′

) encircling the area center point (S) of the target front face (2).

23. Magnet configuration for generating a magnetic field of an arc source with an exit side, substantially spanning a plane (32), for the magnetic field generated by means of a magnet configuration, characterized in that the magnet configuration has magnets with magnetic dipoles at least predominantly parallel to the plane (32).

24. Magnet configuration as claimed in claim 23, characterized in that the pole faces of the magnets are substantially perpendicular to the plane or have face normal which are directed away from the plane.

25. Magnet configuration as claimed in claim 23, characterized in that the magnets span at least one first loop about the center of the plane and comprise permanent and/or electromagnets.

26. Magnet configuration as claimed in claim 23, characterized in that the magnets span at least two first loops one disposed within the other.

27. Magnet configuration as claimed in claim 23, characterized in that the magnet configuration comprises further magnets with dipoles substantially perpendicular to the plane.

28. Magnet configuration as claimed in claim 27, characterized in that the further magnets span at least a second loop with permanent and/or electromagnets.

29. Magnet configuration as claimed in claim 28, characterized in that a first and a second loop one disposed within the other are provided.

30. Magnet configuration as claimed in claim 23 with two loops one disposed within the other, characterized in that a coil is provided substantially along the outer one of the loops.

31. Method for the production of arc-coated workpieces, characterized in that, with at least one arc, material is vaporized from a target face on which a magnetic field, with first magnetic field components parallel and second magnetic field components perpendicular to the target face, is generated by means of using magnets with dipoles parallel to the target face such that over at least 80% of the target area the first magnetic field components are greater than the second, and a workpiece is coated with a material comprising the target material to be vaporized.