Methods of manufacturing large-area sputtering targets using interlocking joints
View Patent ↗In various embodiments, joined sputtering targets are formed at least in part by spray deposition of the sputtering material and/or welding.
1. A joined sputtering target comprising:
two sputtering-target tiles (A) each comprising a sputtering material, and (B) at least partially joined together via a mechanical joint at an interface therebetween, the mechanical joint comprising portions of the sputtering-target tiles either (i) overlapping each other or (ii) overlapping and interlocking each other at the interface; and
a region of metal powder disposed over the interface and in contact with the two sputtering-target tiles.
2. The joined sputtering target of claim 1 , wherein the sputtering material comprises a mixture or alloy of at least two constituent materials.
3. The joined sputtering target of claim 2 , wherein the at least two constituent materials comprise Mo and Ti.
4. The joined sputtering target of claim 2 , wherein the metal powder comprises at least one of the constituent materials.
5. The joined sputtering target of claim 1 , wherein the metal powder comprises the sputtering material.
6. The joined sputtering target of claim 1 , wherein the metal powder consists essentially of the sputtering material.
7. The joined sputtering target of claim 1 , wherein the two sputtering-target tiles each consists essentially of the sputtering material.
8. The joined sputtering target of claim 7 , wherein the metal powder consists essentially of the sputtering material.
9. The joined sputtering target of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical joint comprises an interlocking joint, the interlocking joint comprising a tongue-in-groove joint, a dovetail joint, a rabbet joint, a finger joint, or a spline joint.
10. The joined sputtering target of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of each of the two sputtering-target tiles is substantially planar.
11. The joined sputtering target of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of each of the two sputtering-target tiles is substantially tubular.
12. The joined sputtering target of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the metal powder is disposed within a recess defined by at least one of the sputtering-target tiles.
13. The joined sputtering target of claim 12 , wherein the recess is defined by a beveled surface of at least one of the two sputtering-target tiles.
14. The joined sputtering target of claim 13 , wherein the beveled surface is reentrant.
15. The joined sputtering target of claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of the beveled surface is substantially planar and forms an angle of greater than 45° with respect to a normal to a top surface of the joined sputtering target.
16. The joined sputtering target of claim 15 , wherein the angle is selected from the range of 45° to 60°.
17. The joined sputtering target of claim 1 , wherein the metal powder is substantially unmelted.
18. The joined sputtering target of claim 1 , further comprising a backing plate on which the two sputtering-target tiles are disposed.
19. The joined sputtering target of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical joint comprises portions of the sputtering-target tiles overlapping each other at the interface.
20. The joined sputtering target of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical joint comprises portions of the sputtering-target tiles overlapping and interlocking each other at the interface.
21. The joined sputtering target of claim 1 , wherein the two sputtering-target tiles are welded together at the interface.
22. The joined sputtering target of claim 1 , wherein the sputtering material comprises at least one of molybdenum, titanium, copper, tungsten, niobium, or tantalum.