System and method for feedforward control in thin film coating processes

1. In a sputter coating system comprising:

a vacuum chamber having a coating station;

substrate mounting and moving means adapted for passing one or more substrates to be coated through said coating station;

means for introducing a reactive gas into said vacuum chamber at a predetermined rate;

a target operating at a predetermined power level sufficient to create a reactive atmosphere in said coating station and to plasma sputter a selected material onto substrates when passed through said coating station by said substrate mounting and moving means; and

a plasma generator operating at a predetermined power level for increasing the area, density and reactivity of the reactive atmosphere in said coating station,

a method of reactive sputtering comprising the steps of:

(1) operating the plasma generator at a power level at which

(a) the partial pressure of the reactive gas required to convert substantially all of the material sputtered onto the substrates into a different chemical species is below (b) the partial pressure of the reactive gas required for substantially poisoning the target,

so that there is a range of reactive gas partial pressures between

(a) the partial pressure of the reactive gas required to convert substantially all of the material sputtered onto the substrates into a different chemical species and (b) the partial pressure of the reactive gas,

over which it is feasible to monitor the reactive gas partial pressure and to effect control of the reactive gas partial pressure within a predetermined range by feedback control means;

(2) monitoring the partial pressure of the reactive gas;

(3) monitoring a system operating parameter; and

(4) automatically controlling the partial pressure of the reactive gas responsive to variance in (i) the partial pressure of the reactive gas and/or (ii) the system operating parameter by actively controlling the rate of introduction of reactive gas into the chamber to maintain the partial pressure of the reactive gas in the predetermined range of reactive gas partial pressures,

wherein the partial pressure of the reactive gas is automatically controlled responsive to variance in the system operating parameter by feedforward control.

2. The method of claim 1 where the system operating parameter is the target power.

3. The method of claim 1 where the system operating parameter is the target voltage.

4. The method of claim 1 where the system operating parameter is the target current.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the feedforward control is provided by employing a first feedforward algorithm from system start-up until a predetermined time after system start-up and then employing a second feedforward algorithm.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the feedforward control is provided by monitoring a first system operating parameter from system start-up until a predetermined time after system start-up and then monitoring a second system operating parameter.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the feedforward control is provided by monitoring a first system operating parameter from system start-up until a predetermined time after system start-up and then monitoring a second system operating parameter.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the partial pressure of the reactive gas is automatically controlled responsive to variance in the partial pressure of the reactive gas by feedback control.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the partial pressure of the reactive gas is monitored by an RGA.

10. In a reactive sputtering system wherein the partial pressure of a reactive gas in a portion of the sputtering chamber is automatically controlled by monitoring the partial pressure of the reactive gas and automatically controlling the partial pressure of the reactive gas by actively controlling the rate of introduction of reactive gas into the chamber to maintain the partial pressure of the reactive gas in a predetermined range of reactive gas partial pressures,

a method of improving the automatic control of the reactive gas partial pressure comprising the steps of:

monitoring a first system operating parameter wherein a variance in such parameter affects the partial pressure of the reactive gas; and

automatically controlling the partial pressure of the reactive gas by actively controlling the rate of introduction of reactive gas into the chamber responsive to a variance in the first system operating parameter by employing a first feedforward algorithm.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the partial pressure of the reactive gas is automatically controlled responsive to a variance in the system operating parameter by employing the first feedforward algorithm from the time power is provided to the sputtering target until a predetermined time after power is provided to the sputtering target, and then employing a second feedforward algorithm.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first system operating parameter is monitored during employment of the first feedforward algorithm and a second system operating parameter is monitored during employment of the second feedforward algorithm.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the partial pressure of the reactive gas is automatically controlled responsive to a variance in (i) the first system operating parameter by from the time power is provided to the sputtering target until a predetermined time after power is provided to the sputtering target, and then (ii) a second system operating parameter.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the first system operating parameter is the target power.

15. A method of maintaining a stable sputtering rate in a reactive sputtering system comprising the steps of:

monitoring a first system operating parameter;

automatically controlling the first system operating parameter to maintain the parameter within a predetermined range responsive to a variance in the first system operating parameter;

monitoring a second system operating parameter; and

automatically controlling the first system operating parameter to maintain the parameter within a predetermined range responsive to a variance in the second system operating parameter by employing feedforward control.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the first system parameter is the partial pressure of reactive gas in the sputtering chamber.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the second system operating parameter is the target power.

18. A method of automatically maintaining the mole fraction of reactive gas in the sputtering chamber of a reactive sputtering system in a predetermined range, the method comprising the steps of:

sensing the mole fraction of the reactive gas;

varying the flow of reactive gas into the chamber responsive to a variance in the sensed value of the reactive gas mole fraction;

sensing target power; and

varying the flow of reactive gas into the chamber responsive to a variance in the sensed value of the target power.

19. A method of automatically maintaining the mole fraction of reactive gas in the sputtering chamber of a reactive sputtering system in a predetermined range, the method comprising the steps of:

sensing a system operating parameter, the parameter being selected such that a variance in the parameter changes the mole fraction of reactive gas introduced into the chamber at a constant mass flow rate; and

varying the mass flow rate of reactive gas into the chamber responsive to a variance in the sensed value of the system operating parameter.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the system operating parameter is selected from the group consisting of target power, target voltage, and target current.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising the steps of:

sensing the mole fraction of the reactive gas; and

varying the mass flow rate of reactive gas into the chamber responsive to a variance in the sensed value of the reactive gas mole fraction.

22. A sputter coating system comprising:

a vacuum chamber having a coating station;

substrate mounting and moving means adapted for passing one or more substrates to be coated through said coating station;

means for introducing a reactive gas into said vacuum chamber at a controllable predetermined rate;

a target operating at a predetermined power level sufficient to create a reactive atmosphere in said coating station and to plasma sputter a selected material onto substrates when passed through said coating station by said substrate mounting and moving means;

a plasma generator operating at a predetermined power level for increasing the area, density and reactivity of the reactive atmosphere in said coating station;

automatic feedback control means for monitoring the partial pressure of the reactive gas in a portion of the chamber and actively maintaining the partial pressure of the reactive gas in the coating station at a predetermined range of steady state reactive gas partial pressures; and

automatic feedforward control means for monitoring a system operating parameter and actively maintaining the partial pressure of the reactive gas in the coating station at a predetermined range of reactive gas partial pressures responsive to a variance in the system operating parameter.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the system operating parameter is the target power level.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the partial pressure of the reactive gas in the coating station is maintained in the predetermined range of steady state partial pressures within three seconds of applying power to the sputtering target.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the partial pressure of the reactive gas in the coating station is maintained in the predetermined range of steady state partial pressures within one second of applying power to the sputtering target.

26. A system for automatically maintaining the mole fraction of reactive gas in a sputtering chamber within a predetermined range, said system comprising:

a mass flow controller for controlling the mass flow rate of the reactive gas into the chamber;

means for sensing the mole fraction of the reactive gas in the chamber and generating a mole fraction signal;

feedback controller means for receiving the mole fraction signal and providing a flow control signal to the mass flow controller responsive thereto;

means for sensing a system operating parameter and generating a load variable signal; and

feedforward controller means for receiving the load variable signal and providing a flow control signal to the mass flow controller responsive thereto.