Patent Application
20080121521
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma sputtering target assembly and a manufacturing method therefor. More particularly, the present invention relates to a sputtering target assembly and a manufacturing method therefor where particles are provided on a side of a bonding layer of a sputtering target nearer a target in the assembly or a plurality of protrusions is formed on a backplate in the assembly.
2. Descriptions of the Related Art
Conventionally, a periodical visual inspection is generally relied upon in prevention of a target being over-sputtered in a sputtering process. However, this method is labor-consuming and may sometimes cause the target to be stuck through, making it unqualified for use in a proper sputtering process. Another method is to insert a bladder between a backplate and the target. This method may efficiently prevent the target from being over-sputtered since the bladder will burst in a vacuum environment and cause the sputtering process to be broken off before the over-sputtering phenomenon occurs. However, when the bladder bursts, a suddenly increased pressure and thus an abruptly elevated temperature occur, causing a chamber for the sputtering process to be deformed or damaged. In another method, a dielectric layer is inserted between the target and the backplate. When this dielectric layer is exposed to plasma, charges will accumulate on the dielectric layer since the dielectric layer is not electrically conductive. As a result, an exceptional discharging phenomenon is brought about. Then, optical and electromagnetic signals involved with the exceptional discharging are used as a reference for stopping provision of the supplied power for the sputtering process. However, since the backplate itself may conduct a current to the target and cool the target and since the dielectric layer does not provide electrical and thermal conductivities as good as those of a metal backplate, an adverse effect is arisen with respect to the thus formed thin film. That is, the dielectric layer provided between the backplate and the target may bring an adverse effect to cooling efficiency and conductivity between the backplate and the target, correspondingly having an influence on stability of the conducted process.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a plasma sputtering target assembly through which a backplate therein may be prevented from being stuck through and thus being over-sputtered.
To achieve the above object, the plasma sputtering target assembly disclosed in the present invention comprises a target, a bonding layer having a plurality of particles and having a first side bonded with the target and a second side, and a backplate bonded with the second side of the bonding layer.
To achieve the above object, another plasma sputtering target assembly disclosed in the present invention comprises a target, a bonding layer having a first side bonded with the target and a second side, and a backplate having a plurality of particles bonded with the second side of the bonding layer.
To achieve the above object, the present invention also discloses a manufacturing method of the plasma sputtering target assembly, comprising the steps of providing a target, providing a bonding layer having a plurality of particles and having a first side bonded with the target and second side; providing a backplate which has a plurality of protrusions integrated with the backplate and the protrusions are not greater than the bonding layer in altitude; and proceeding a bonding process for bonding the backplate with the bonding layer so as to bond the backplate and the second side of the bonding layer.
The bonding layer is provided on between the backplate and the target, wherein particles are provided on a side of the bonding layer nearer the target or a plurality of protrusions is formed and integrated with the backplate. As such, the target may be exposed to plasma and an exceptional discharging phenomenon may be caused before over-sputtering occurs on the target. By detecting the discharging phenomenon, a power supplied for the sputtering process may be ceased and thus the backplate may be prevented from being struck through.
The above objects and principles of the present invention will be described in more detail taken from the preferred embodiments below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference of the annexed drawings.
Referring to
For conventionally used targets, sputtering yields thereof range from 0.3 to 2.4. The material of the conventional target 10 maybe one of Indium-tin-oxide (ITO), copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), silicon (Si), titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), niobium (Nb), molybdenum (Mo), ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh), palladium (Pd), Hafnium (Hf), tantalum (Ta), wolfram (W), rhenium (Re), osmium (Os), iridium (Ir), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), germanium (Ge), platinum (Pt), silver (Ag), Indium (In), gold (Au), or their mixture. The material of the particles 40 may be one of ITO, Cu, Fe, Co, Si, Ti, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Cr, Mn, Ge, Pt, Ag, In, Au, or their mixture. Among them, Pd and Ta are the most suitable since they each have a sputtering yield having a maximum difference as compared to that of the target 10. This sputtering process has to be ceased before the backplate 20 is exposed to plasma, otherwise the target 10 should be struck through and thus a chamber for the sputtering process can be damaged. As related to the backplate 20, the material of the backplate 20 may be one of ITO, Cu, Fe, Co, Si, Ti, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Cr, Mn, Ge, Pt, Ag, aluminum (Al), nickel (Nl), Au, or their mixture. Since the bonding layer 30 is first exposed to the plasma when the target 10 is almost over-sputtered, an exceptional discharging phenomenon is caused when the target is struck through. By detecting the discharging phenomenon, whether the target is almost over-sputtered may be forecasted.
Referring to
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As described above, the target may be exposed to the plasma when the sputtering process is conducted and the power supplied for the sputtering process may be immediately ceased upon the exceptional discharging phenomenon occurring. As such, the target may be prevented from being struck through and thus from being over-sputtered.
While embodiments and applications of this invention have been shown and described, it would be apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure that many more modifications than mentioned above are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims and their equivalents.
