IP Library Granted Patent US 9,951,412
Granted Patent B2
US 9,951,412 · App. 13/809,189 · Granted Apr 24, 2018

Sputtering target and/or coil, and process for producing same

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,951,412
App. No.
13/809,189
Granted
Apr 24, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a sputtering target and/or a coil disposed at the periphery of a plasma-generating region for confining plasma. The target and/or the coil has a surface to be eroded having a hydrogen content of 500 μL/cm 2 or less. In dealing with reduction in the hydrogen content of the surface of the target and/or the coil, the process of producing the target and/or the coil, in particular, the conditions for heating the surface of the target and/or the coil, which is thought to be cause of hydrogen occlusion, are appropriately regulated. As a result, hydrogen occlusion at the surface of the target can be reduced, and the degree of vacuum during sputtering can be improved. Thus, the present invention provides a target and/or a coil that has a uniform and fine structure, makes plasma stable, and allows a film to be formed with excellent uniformity and provides a method of producing the target and/or the coil.

Claims (8)

1. A sputtering target or a coil disposed at a periphery of a plasma-generating region for confining plasma, the target or the coil being made of tantalum or titanium and having a surface to be eroded with a hydrogen content of 500 μL/cm 2 or less, the hydrogen content determined by cutting out a sample of 20×10×8 mm=1.6 cm 3 of the target or the coil including the surface, heating the sample to 800° C. and quantitatively measuring hydrogen gas released from the surface of the sample by means of mass spectrometry.

2. The sputtering target or the coil according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrogen content of the surface to be eroded is 300 μL/cm 2 or less.

3. The sputtering target or the coil according to claim 2 , wherein the hydrogen content of the surface to be eroded is 100 μL/cm 2 or less.

4. A sputtering target and plasma-confining coil disposed in a plasma-generating region of a vacuum chamber of sputtering apparatus, each of the target and the coil being made of tantalum or titanium and having a hydrogen content of 500 μL/cm 2 or less on a surface thereof to a depth of 8 mm beneath the surface.

5. The sputtering target and coil according to claim 4 , wherein said hydrogen content is 300 μL/cm 2 or less.

6. The sputtering target and coil according to claim 4 , wherein said hydrogen content is 100 μL/cm 2 or less.

7. The sputtering target and the coil according to claim 4 , wherein the surface of each of the target and the coil is a surface resulting from at least one finishing process selected from the group consisting of cutting, polishing, and grinding and thereby has a mechanically damaged structure including lattice defects in which hydrogen is readily occluded.

8. The sputtering target and or the coil according to claim 1 , wherein the surface of the target or coil is a surface resulting from at least one finishing process selected from the group consisting of cutting, polishing, and grinding and thereby has a mechanically damaged structure including lattice defects in which hydrogen is readily occluded.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Aug 11, 2021
From: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
To: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 057453/0937 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Aug 11, 2021
From: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
To: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 057160/0114 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 10, 2013
From: NAGATA, KENICHI; MAKINO, NOBUHITO
To: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 029600/0893 →