Sputtering machines, substrate holders, and sputtering processes with magnetic biasing
Sputtering machines and substrate holders for such systems are described which include one or more magnets apart from the magnets typical of sputtering guns. The added magnets produce a magnetic field bias which is a new means for controlling depositional flux, ionization degree of a sputtered species, and microstructure properties of deposited coatings. An exemplary substrate holder may have a magnet or magnet array near or next to the surface supporting the substrate, and the magnet may assume multiple different magnetic field configurations depending on the desired properties of the resulting magnetic field bias within the reaction chamber.
1 . A substrate holder for a sputtering machine or process, comprising
a surface arranged to hold or support a powder substrate while the powder substrate is coated by target material from at least one sputtering gun;
at least one magnet for generating one or more magnetic fields at or beside the surface, wherein the at least one magnet is separate from any magnets of the at least one sputtering gun, and wherein the at least one magnet is positioned behind the surface; and
a piezoelectric actuator configured to vibrate the surface with vibrations configured to lift and transfer momentum to particles of the powder substrate so that the particles advance along a path that exposes them to the sputtered species.
2 . The substrate holder of claim 1 , further comprising a controller for changing one or more properties of the one or magnetic fields of the at least one magnet.
3 . The substrate holder of claim 2 , wherein the controller comprises control electronics and the at least one magnet is at least one electromagnet.
4 . The substrate holder of claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet comprises a permanent magnet.
5 . The substrate holder of claim 1 , wherein the surface belongs to a holder cup, wherein the holder cup is configured to store the powder substrate, wherein the surface forms a helical path.
6 . The substrate holder of claim 1 , further comprising an isolator to which the surface is mounted and which electrically isolates the surface.
7 . The substrate holder of claim 6 , further comprising a deflector that shields the isolator from at least some metallization, wherein the deflector is a conductive and nonmagnetic solid, and wherein the deflector at least partly encases the isolator while leaving a gap that separates an inner surface of the deflector and an outer surface of the isolator.
8 . The substrate holder of claim 1 , further comprising a thermocouple that measures a temperature of the surface.
9 . The substrate holder of claim 8 , further comprising a thermoelectric device configured to heat or cool the surface based on the temperature measured by the thermocouple.
10 . A sputtering machine, comprising
one or more sputtering guns comprising at least one first magnet;
at least one substrate holder, comprising
a surface arranged to hold or support a powder substrate while the powder substrate is coated by target material from at least one gun of the one or more sputtering guns;
at least one second magnet for generating one or more magnetic fields at or beside the surface, wherein the at least one second magnet is separate from magnets of the one or more sputtering guns including the at least one first magnet; and
a piezoelectric actuator configured to vibrate the surface with vibrations configured to lift and transfer momentum to particles of the powder substrate so that the particles advance along a path that exposes them to the sputtered species,
wherein the at least one second magnet is one or more of
positioned behind the surface,
arranged in a parallel configuration with the at least one first magnet of the one or more sputtering guns, and
arranged in an antiparallel configuration with the at least one first magnet of the one or more sputtering guns.
11 . The sputtering machine of claim 10 , further comprising a controller for changing one or more properties of the one or magnetic fields of the at least one second magnet.
12 . The sputtering machine of claim 11 , wherein the controller comprises control electronics and the at least one second magnet is at least one electromagnet.
13 . The sputtering machine of claim 10 , wherein the at least one second magnet comprises a permanent magnet.
14 . The sputtering machine of claim 10 , wherein the surface belongs to a holder cup, wherein the holder cup is configured to store the powder substrate, wherein the surface forms a helical path.
15 . The sputtering machine of claim 10 , further comprising an isolator to which the surface is mounted and which electrically isolates the surface.
16 . The sputtering machine of claim 15 , further comprising a deflector that shields the isolator from at least some metallization, wherein the deflector is a conductive and nonmagnetic solid, and wherein the deflector at least partly encases the isolator while leaving a gap that separates an inner surface of the deflector and an outer surface of the isolator.
17 . The sputtering machine of claim 10 , further comprising a thermocouple that measures a temperature of the surface.
18 . The sputtering machine of claim 17 , further comprising a thermoelectric device configured to heat or cool the surface based on the temperature measured by the thermocouple.
19 . A method of physical vapor deposition (PVD), comprising
sputtering a powder substrate with at least one target material from at least one sputtering gun comprising at least one first magnet; and
controlling at least deposition flux during the sputtering using a magnetic field at or beside a surface holding or supporting the powder substrate, wherein the magnetic field is from at least one second magnet that is separate from any magnets of the at least one sputtering gun including the at least one first magnet; and
lifting and transferring momentum to particles of the powder substrate by vibrating the surface with a piezoelectric actuator so that the particles advance along a path that exposes them to the sputtered species,
wherein the at least one second magnet is one or more of
positioned behind the surface,
arranged in a parallel configuration with the at least one first magnet of the at least one sputtering gun, and
arranged in an antiparallel configuration with the at least one first magnet of the at least one sputtering gun.