IP Library Granted Patent US 9,922,809
Granted Patent B2
US 9,922,809 · App. 15/293,063 · Granted Mar 20, 2018

Deposition system for growth of inclined c-axis piezoelectric material structures

Inventors: Kevin McCarron (Bend, OR); John Belsick (Bend, OR)
Assignee: QORVO US, INC.
H01J37/3447H01L41/35
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,922,809
App. No.
15/293,063
Granted
Mar 20, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods for growing hexagonal crystal structure piezoelectric material with a c-axis that is tilted (e.g., 25 to 50 degrees) relative to normal of a face of a substrate are provided. A deposition system includes a linear sputtering apparatus, a translatable multi-aperture collimator, and a translatable substrate table arranged to hold multiple substrates, with the substrate table and/or the collimator being electrically biased to a nonzero potential. An enclosure includes first and second deposition stations each including a linear sputtering apparatus, a collimator, and a deposition aperture.

Claims (28)

1. A deposition system comprising:

a linear sputtering apparatus comprising a target surface configured to eject metal atoms;

a substrate table comprising a support surface that is configured to receive at least one wafer and is coupled to a translation element, wherein the translation element is configured to translate the substrate table and the at least one wafer during operation of the linear sputtering apparatus; and

a collimator comprising a plurality of guide members defining a plurality of collimator apertures arranged between the linear sputtering apparatus and the substrate table, the collimator being linearly translatable;

wherein the target surface is arranged non-parallel to the support surface; and

wherein at least one of the substrate table or the collimator is electrically biased to a potential other than ground.

2. The deposition system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of guide members is arranged non-perpendicular to the support surface.

3. The deposition system of claim 1 , wherein the substrate table is electrically biased to a potential other than ground.

4. The deposition system of claim 1 , wherein the collimator is electrically biased to a potential other than ground.

5. The deposition system of claim 1 , wherein the linear sputtering apparatus comprises a linear magnetron that includes a sputtering cathode operatively coupled to the target surface to promote ejection of metal atoms from the target surface.

6. The deposition system of claim 1 , wherein the linear sputtering apparatus comprises a linear ion beam sputtering apparatus.

7. The deposition system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of guide members comprises a plurality of longitudinal members and a plurality of transverse members that form a grid.

8. The deposition system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of guide members comprises a plurality of longitudinal members biased to a first electrical potential other than ground and comprises a plurality of transverse members crossing the plurality of longitudinal members, the transverse members being biased to a second electrical potential other than ground, and wherein the second electrical potential differs from the first electrical potential.

9. The deposition system of claim 1 , further comprising a collimator translation assembly arranged to linearly translate the collimator during operation of the linear sputtering apparatus.

10. The deposition system of claim 1 , further comprising a deposition aperture arranged between the collimator and the substrate table.

11. The deposition system of claim 10 , further comprising a uniformity shield configured to adjust dimensions of the deposition aperture.

12. The deposition system of claim 1 , wherein the support surface is configured to receive at least two wafers.

13. The deposition system of claim 1 , wherein the target surface comprises aluminum or zinc and is configured to eject aluminum atoms or zinc atoms.

14. The deposition system of claim 1 , being configured to receive a supply of sputtering gas, wherein the sputtering gas comprises a gas species adapted to react with the metal atoms.

15. The deposition system of claim 1 , operatively coupled to a source of sputtering gas comprising nitrogen or oxygen.

16. The deposition system of claim 1 , including at least one wafer received by the support surface, wherein the at least one wafer comprises a substrate, an acoustic reflector structure arranged over the substrate, and an electrode structure arranged over at least a portion of the acoustic reflector structure.

17. The deposition system of claim 1 , including at least one wafer received by the support surface, wherein the at least one wafer comprises a substrate defining a recess, a support layer is arranged over the recess, and an electrode structure is arranged over the support layer.

18. The deposition system of claim 1 , wherein the target surface is oriented 15 to 55 degrees apart from the substrate table.

19. The deposition system of claim 1 , being configured for growth of a hexagonal crystal structure piezoelectric material bulk layer over a seed layer that overlies a wafer received by the support surface, wherein at least 50% of the hexagonal crystal structure piezoelectric material bulk layer comprises a c-axis having an orientation distribution predominantly in a range of from 25 degrees to 50 degrees relative to normal of a face of the wafer.

20. The deposition system of claim 1 , being configured for growth of a hexagonal crystal structure piezoelectric material bulk layer over a seed layer that overlies a wafer received by the support surface, wherein at least 90% of the hexagonal crystal structure piezoelectric material bulk layer comprises a c-axis having an orientation distribution predominantly in a range of from 25 degrees to 50 degrees relative to normal of a face of the wafer.

21. The deposition system of claim 9 , wherein the collimator translation assembly is arranged to translate the collimator in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to a direction of translation of the substrate table.

22. The deposition system of claim 7 , wherein each of the longitudinal guide members is disposed at a non-perpendicular angle relative to a plane defined by the collimator.

23. The deposition system of claim 1 , wherein the target surface is arranged at a first non-parallel angle to the support surface and wherein the collimator is arranged at a second non-parallel angle to the support surface different from the first non-parallel angle.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 4, 2023
From: QORVO BIOTECHNOLOGIES, LLC
To: QORVO US, INC.
Reel/Frame 065124/0556 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 12, 2018
From: QORVO US, INC.
To: QORVO BIOTECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 047794/0087 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 31, 2016
From: MCCARRON, KEVIN; BELSICK, JOHN
To: QORVO US, INC.
Reel/Frame 040174/0339 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62241264 · Oct 14, 2015
Related Publication 20170110300A1 · Apr 20, 2017