Method and sputter-deposition system for depositing a layer composed of a mixture of materials and having a predetermined refractive index

1. A method for depositing a layer composed of a mixture of materials and having a plurality of compositions and a plurality of predetermined composite refractive indices, in a sputter-deposition system, comprising:

providing a vacuum chamber;

providing a single DC power supply;

providing a substrate disposed on a substrate support in the vacuum chamber;

providing a plurality of target cathodes in the vacuum chamber, wherein each target cathode comprises a target material having a different composition, and wherein the plurality of target cathodes are separate from one another and are connected in parallel to a negative lead of the single DC power supply, such that the plurality of target cathodes are powered by only the single DC power supply;

cosputtering the plurality of target cathodes to deposit the layer composed of a mixture of materials on the substrate by simultaneously applying a substantially identical cathode voltage to each target cathode throughout deposition of the layer, by means of the single DC power supply;

moving the substrate support rotationally to uniformly expose the substrate to each target cathode during deposition of the layer; and

adjusting a common operating parameter affecting all of the plurality of target cathodes to have a plurality of values during deposition of the layer, wherein the common operating parameter is cathode power, cathode voltage, cathode current, or a flow rate of a reactive gas introduced into the vacuum chamber, such that the relative amounts of materials applied from the plurality of target cathodes are affected so that the layer has a plurality of compositions and a plurality of predetermined composite refractive indices along a thickness of the layer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the common operating parameter is cathode power, cathode voltage, or cathode current.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising introducing a reactive gas into the vacuum chamber, wherein the common operating parameter is a flow rate of the reactive gas.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising introducing a reactive gas into the vacuum chamber, wherein the reactive gas is oxygen, and wherein the plurality of target cathodes consist of one target cathode comprising tantalum and one target cathode comprising silicon.

5. A method for depositing a plurality of layers composed of a mixture of materials and having a plurality of compositions and a plurality of predetermined composite refractive indices in a sputter-deposition system, comprising:

providing a vacuum chamber;

providing a single DC power supply;

providing a plurality of target cathodes in the vacuum chamber, wherein each target cathode comprises a target material having a different composition, and wherein the plurality of target cathodes are separate from one another and are connected in parallel to a negative lead of the single DC power supply, such that the plurality of target cathodes are powered by only the single DC power supply;

providing a first substrate disposed on a substrate support in the vacuum chamber;

cosputtering the plurality of target cathodes to deposit a first layer composed of a mixture of materials on the first substrate by simultaneously applying a substantially identical cathode voltage to each target cathode throughout deposition of the first layer, by means of the single DC power supply;

moving the substrate support rotationally to uniformly expose the first substrate to each target cathode during deposition of the first layer;

adjusting a common operating parameter affecting all of the plurality of target cathodes to have a substantially constant first value during deposition of the first layer, wherein the common operating parameter is cathode power, cathode voltage, cathode current, or a flow rate of a reactive gas introduced into the vacuum chamber, such that the relative amounts of materials applied from the plurality of target cathodes are affected so that the first layer has a first composition and a first predetermined composite refractive index;

providing a second substrate disposed on the substrate support in the vacuum chamber;

cosputtering the plurality of target cathodes to deposit a second layer composed of a mixture of materials on the second substrate by simultaneously applying a substantially identical cathode voltage to each target cathode throughout deposition of the second layer, by means of the single DC power supply;

moving the substrate support rotationally to uniformly expose the second substrate to each target cathode during deposition of the second layer; and

adjusting the common operating parameter to have a substantially constant second value different from the first value during deposition of the second layer, such that the relative amounts of materials applied from the plurality of target cathodes are affected so that the second layer has a second composition different from the first composition and a second predetermined composite refractive index different from the first predetermined composite refractive index.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the common operating parameter is adjusted to have a plurality of continuous values during deposition of the layer, such that the layer has a plurality of compositions and a plurality of predetermined composite refractive indices that vary continuously along the thickness of the layer.