Claims
- 1. A magnetron for sputtering a target material onto a substrate having a radius R to form a coating of the target material upon a surface of the substrate, said magnetron having an anode and a cathode, said magnetron comprising:a) a frusto-conical target off-spaced from said substrate and having an inner surface for being sputtered, said frusto-conical target being a conical frustum having an axis centrally disposed through first and second parallel planes truncating said frusto-conical target to define respectively larger and smaller openings in said target, said target having a frustum length determinable along said inner surface between said openings and having an included cone angle defined by the angle between the locus of opposite sides of said surface included in a plane inclusive of said axis; and b) means for plasma sputter erosion of said inner surface at a rate which is uniform over all portions of said surface, said means including a magnetic field having magnetic field lines passing within a distance from said target surface equal to the radius of gyration of an electron about one of said magnetic field lines, all of said field lines intersecting surfaces held at a substantially negative voltage with respect to said anode, and the vector component of said field lines which is parallel to the target surface being of uniform flux density over all points on the target surface.
- 2. A magnetron in accordance with claim 1 wherein each line of flux in said magnetic field is contained within a plane containing said cone axis.
- 3. A magnetron in accordance with claim 1 in which said magnetic field is produced by a fixed magnet and first and second pole pieces.
- 4. A magnetron in accordance with claim 3 wherein said first and second pole pieces are disposed substantially orthogonal to and extend inwardly of said target surface.
- 5. A magnetron in accordance with claim 1 in which said magnetic field is a substantially uniform magnetic field parallel to the axis of said frusto-conical target.
- 6. A magnetron in accordance with claim 1 in which said surfaces are substantially perpendicular to the axis of said frusto-conical target.
- 7. A magnetron in accordance with claim 1 in which said surfaces are formed by two target surfaces which face each other.
- 8. A magnetron in accordance with claim 1 wherein said inner surface of said frusto-conical target has a maximum radius of between about 1.5R and about 2.0R, where R is the radius of said substrate.
- 9. A magnetron in accordance with claim 1 wherein the length of the sputtering area along the frustum of said frusto-conical target is between about 0.5R and about 1.5R, where R is the radius of said substrate.
- 10. A magnetron in accordance with claim 1 wherein said substrate is disposed orthogonally to said axis of said frusto-conical target at a distance of between about 0.5R and about 0.5R from the base of said frusto-conical target, where R is the radius of said substrate.
- 11. A magnetron in accordance with claim 1 wherein the included cone angle of said frusto-conical target is between about 60 degrees and about 120 degrees.
- 12. A magnetron in accordance with claim 1 further comprising an ion beam source disposed for projection of said ion beam through said smaller opening in said target.
- 13. A magnetron in accordance with claim 1 wherein means for producing said magnetic field includes a magnetic cage receivable of said frusto-conical target for providing a magnetic field between said inner surface and said substrate surface, said magnetic cage including first and second pole pieces disposed substantially orthogonal to and extending inwardly of said target surface, said pole pieces being so configured and arranged that not all lines of flux propagated at said first pole piece are closed within said second pole piece.
- 14. A magnetron for radio frequency sputtering a target material onto a substrate to form a coating of the target material upon a surface of the substrate, comprising:a) first and second hollow conical targets off-spaced from said substrate, each of said targets having an axis and an inner surface for being sputtered by a plasma; b) first and second cathodes disposed adjacent said conical targets opposite said first and second inner surfaces, respectively; c) a magnetic cage receivable of said conical targets and said first and second cathodes for providing a magnetic field between said inner surfaces and said substrate surface, said magnetic field having magnetic field lines passing within a distance from said target surface equal to the radius of gyration of an electron about one of said magnetic field lines, all of said field lines intersecting surfaces held at a substantially negative voltage with respect to said plasma, and the vector component of said field lines which is parallel to the target surface being of uniform flux density over all points on the target surface; and d) a radio frequency power source connected across said cathodes to produce an electric plasma over said inner surface.
Parent Case Info
The present application is a Continuation-in-part of my application Ser. No. 09/487,041 filed Jan. 19, 2000 now U.S. Pat. 6,235,170 which is a Continuation-in-part of my application Ser. No. 09/095,301 filed Jun. 10, 1998 now matured as U.S. Pat. No. 6,066,242 issued May 23, 2000.
US Referenced Citations (25)
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
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09/487041 |
Jan 2000 |
US |
Child |
09/716078 |
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US |
Parent |
09/095301 |
Jun 1998 |
US |
Child |
09/487041 |
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US |