JPH0317907B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a discharge electrode, and more particularly to a discharge electrode with an improved cathode target structure for generating magnetron discharge.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

FIG. 3 shows a discharge electrode used in conventional sputtering, etc. A cathode material 2 such as a target is disposed inside a vacuum container 1 as an electrode member, and the lower surface of this cathode material 2 is , magnet 3 are arranged. Further, on the upper surface side of the cathode material 2, an object 4 to be treated is arranged with an interval of, for example, 50 to 100 mm or more, and between the cathode material 2 and the object 4, a discharge power source is placed. 5 is connected. Furthermore, an evacuation system 6 such as a vacuum pump and a gas system 7 for introducing processing gas are connected to the lower surface of the vacuum container 1, respectively.

In the above apparatus, a high voltage is applied between the cathode material 2 and the object to be processed 4 by a discharge power source 5 to generate plasma discharge, and the material of the cathode material 2 is scattered by this discharge, and the object to be processed 4 is It is made to form a thin film on the surface.

However, in the case of the above-mentioned apparatus, since a large distance is secured between the cathode material 2 and the object to be treated 4 in order to obtain a discharge space, the material of the cathode material 2 scattered by plasma discharge is removed from the surface of the object to be treated 4. For example, the part may adhere to the inner wall of the vacuum container 1, and the vacuum container 1
This caused contamination, generation of dust, and delays in evacuation.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and
The object of the present invention is to provide a discharge electrode that can prevent cathode material from scattering to unnecessary parts.

[Summary of the invention]

In order to achieve the above object, a discharge electrode according to the present invention is a discharge electrode that generates plasma discharge by applying a high voltage between an electrode member as a cathode and a workpiece as an anode. The member is formed into a bottomed cylindrical shape with an opening on one side, and the object to be processed is configured to have a size that closes almost the entire area of the opening, and the object to be processed is arranged close to the opening at the periphery of the object to be processed. A discharge space surrounded by the electrode member and the object to be processed is formed between the electrode member and the object to be processed, and discharge plasma is confined within the discharge space.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the discharge electrode according to the present invention, in which another cylindrical cathode material 8 made of the same material is provided above the outer periphery of the cathode material 2. A discharge space 9 is formed in an inner portion surrounded by. The upper end of the cylindrical cathode material 8 is placed close to the object to be processed 4, and the distance between the upper end and the object to be processed 4 is, for example, 2 to 5mm
It is formed to a certain extent. Further, a magnet 10 for generating a magnetic field inside the cathode material 8 is disposed on the outer circumferential side of the cylindrical cathode material 8.

The cathode materials 2 and 8 may be formed integrally, or the discharge plasma may be formed in the discharge space 9.
If each cathode material 2, 8
A space may be provided in between.

In this embodiment, a high voltage is applied between each of the cathode materials 2 and 8 and the object to be treated 4 by the discharge power source 5, and plasma discharge is generated inside each of the cathode materials 2 and 8, that is, in the discharge space 9. to scatter the materials of the cathode materials 2 and 8. At this time, the discharge plasma is confined within the discharge space 9, and the materials of the cathode materials 2 and 8 are not scattered outside the discharge space 9.

Therefore, the cathode materials 2 and 8 can be attached only to the surface of the object 4, and unnecessary parts such as the inner wall of the vacuum container are not contaminated. moreover,
Since the cathode material does not scatter to unnecessary parts as described above, the film thickness distribution at the outer periphery of the object to be treated 4 can be significantly improved compared to the conventional method, as shown in FIG. .

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, in the discharge electrode according to the present invention, the electrode member and the object to be treated are arranged with a slight distance between them, and a discharge space is formed surrounded by the electrode member and the object to be treated. Since the discharge plasma is confined within the discharge space, the material of the electrode member can be prevented from scattering to unnecessary parts, and the material can be attached only to the surface of the object to be treated. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent the occurrence of contamination and dust in the vacuum container, and it is possible to achieve effects such as being able to improve the film thickness distribution.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
The figure is an explanatory diagram showing the film thickness distribution of the present invention and the conventional one, and FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing the conventional discharge electrode. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Vacuum container, 2, 8... Cathode material, 3, 10... Magnet, 4... Treated object, 5... Discharge power supply, 6... Vacuum exhaust system, 7... Gas system, 9... Discharge space.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a discharge electrode that generates plasma discharge by applying a high voltage between an electrode member as a cathode and a workpiece as an anode, the electrode member is formed into a bottomed cylindrical shape with an opening on one side, and The object to be processed is configured to have a size that closes almost the entire area of the opening, and the object to be processed is arranged close to the opening at the peripheral edge of the object, and the electrode is placed between the electrode member and the object to be processed. A discharge electrode characterized by forming a discharge space surrounded by a member and an object to be treated.