US3839182A - Triode device for sputtering material by means of a low voltage discharge - Google Patents

Triode device for sputtering material by means of a low voltage discharge Download PDF

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Publication number
US3839182A
US3839182A US00293503A US29350372A US3839182A US 3839182 A US3839182 A US 3839182A US 00293503 A US00293503 A US 00293503A US 29350372 A US29350372 A US 29350372A US 3839182 A US3839182 A US 3839182A
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United States
Prior art keywords
chamber
sputtering chamber
sputtering
cathode
under vacuum
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Expired - Lifetime
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US00293503A
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English (en)
Inventor
O Sager
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Balzers Patent und Beteiligungs AG
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Balzers Patent und Beteiligungs AG
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J37/00—Discharge tubes with provision for introducing objects or material to be exposed to the discharge, e.g. for the purpose of examination or processing thereof
    • H01J37/32—Gas-filled discharge tubes
    • H01J37/34—Gas-filled discharge tubes operating with cathodic sputtering
    • H01J37/3402—Gas-filled discharge tubes operating with cathodic sputtering using supplementary magnetic fields
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
    • C23C14/00—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
    • C23C14/22—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the process of coating
    • C23C14/34—Sputtering
    • C23C14/35—Sputtering by application of a magnetic field, e.g. magnetron sputtering
    • C23C14/354—Introduction of auxiliary energy into the plasma
    • C23C14/355—Introduction of auxiliary energy into the plasma using electrons, e.g. triode sputtering

Definitions

  • a device for sputtering coating material by means of a low voltage arc discharge comprises a hot cathode disposed in a cathode chamber into which gas to be ionized is introduced, and a sputtering chamber which can be evacuated and in which the anode, the material to be sputtered, and the supporting structures'for the.
  • the cathode chamber and the sputtering chamber are electrically insulated from each other and mutually separated by a partition wall which comprises a central aperture through which the two chambers communicate.
  • the anode may be an insulated electrode or, preferably, is formed directly by a bottom portion of the sputtering chamber.
  • the material to be sputtered (the target) is preferably arranged in the axis of the arc discharge.
  • the electric connection is provided such that, during operation, the cathode and the cathode chamber have a negative potential in respect to the walls and the equipment of the sputtering chamber.
  • This invention relates, in general, to vacuum treating of workpiece surfaces and, in particular, to a new and useful device for sputtering coating material by means of a low voltage are discharge, which includes a triode arrangement comprising an anode provided in a sputtering chamber, a hot cathode located in a separate ionization chamber, the two chambers communicating through an aperture provided in a common, electrically insulated partition wall, and a target to be sputtered which is positioned preferably in the axis of the gaseous discharge.
  • sputtering devices comprise a sputtering chamber in which a low pressure can be created and in which the arc discharge, bunched by an axial magnetic field, extends between a hot cathode disposed in a separate chamber and an anode which is located in the sputtering chamber and has a positive potential in respect to the walls of the same.
  • Supporting structures for the target to be sputtered as well as for the pieces or substrates to be coated by the pulverized material are also disposed in the sputtering chamber.
  • a service-proved device of this type (Swiss Pat. No. 456,249) is characterized in that the material to be sputtered is placed on a support which is surrounded by an annular anode.
  • triode arrangements show a drawback inasmuch as during operation, there is a constant danger of electric breakdowns between the anode and the walls of the sputtering chamber or the equipment (for example supporting structures for the workpieces) located therein. Even in the absence of breakdowns, the inner surfaces of the sputtering chamber walls and the equipment surfaces are, because of the potential difference between the same and the plasma, in a certain extent exposed to sputtering by the impact of incident ions escaping from the arc. This not only causes damage by an undesirable erosion of the surfaces but above all entails a contamination of the applied coatings.
  • carrier density in such a discharge is low (10 to l0 per cm") even under relatively high pressures (p 10' torr) so that high voltages are necessary to obtain the desired sputtering rates.
  • the stress the substrates undergo owing to the bombardment by secondary electrons is markedly increased.
  • the productive capacity of such devices is limited because the useful surface of the substrates is always smaller than the target surface.
  • low voltage arcs attain carrier densities of 10 to l0 particles per cm'"'. This makes it possible, with low target-voltages, to effect a high-rate metal sputtering even in the 10' torr range.
  • the bombardment of the substrates by secondary electrons may in this case be largely avoided by application of static magnetic fields.
  • a device for sputtering coating material by means of a low voltage arc discharge including a cathode chamber in which a hot cathode is disposed and, preferably, the gas to be ionized can be introduced, and a sputtering chamber or vessel which can be evacuated and which comprises the anode, the target or material to be sputtered, and the equipment necessary to support the pieces or substrates to be coated.
  • the two chambers are separated by a common partition wall and are electrically insulated from each other. However, the two chambers are in communication with each other through a central aperture provided in the partition wall.
  • the electrical connecting circuit is arranged so that during operation, the cathode and the cathode chamber have a negative potential in respect to the walls and the supporting structures of the sputtering chamber.
  • the plasma column of the arc also is brought to a negative potential in respect to the walls of the sputtering chamber so that sputtering of these walls is not possible.
  • the bottom part of the sputtering chamber can itself serve as an anode.
  • a separate electrode may also be provided to which the necessary voltage is applied through a bushing insulator mounted in the wall of the sputtering chamber.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide between the two chambers a common partition wall which is electrically insulated at least from the walls of the sputtering chamber and is provided with a central aperture through which the two chambers communicate.
  • Still another object of the invention is to provide an electric circuit arrangement ensuring that during operation, the cathode and the cathode chamber have a negative potential in respect to the walls and the supporting structures of the sputtering chamber.
  • a portion of the sputtering chamber walls may directly serve as anode for the arc discharge or a separate anode may be provided which is insulated from the sputtering chamber walls and, during operation, preferably has a negative potential against these walls.
  • the cathode chamber is provided with an inlet for the gas to be ionized
  • the sputtering chamber is provided with a connection means for evacuation
  • a valve may be provided through which oxygen is introduced for an anode oxidation treatment.
  • Still another feature of the invention is that, preferably, the target is arranged in the axis of the are discharge.
  • a further object of the invention is to provide a device for the vacuum treatment of workpieces which is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.
  • FIGURE shows schematically a vertical cross-sectional view of a device for sputtering coating material according to the invention.
  • the inventive device embodied therein comprises an apparatus for vacuum coating of workpieces by sputtering coating material by means of a low voltage arc discharge, comprising a sputtering vessel or chamber 1 which can be evacuated through a tubular connection 8 and is equipped with supporting structures 2 on which objects or workpieces 3 to be coated are arranged.
  • the target or material to be sputtered 6 is disposed on a conducting support or rod through which the working voltage the gas to be ionized is introduced, in dosed quantities, through a needle valve or gas injection nozzle 12.
  • a hot cathode 13 is disposed in the cathode chamber 11 and fed with heating current over lead-in wires passing through an insulating flange plate 14.
  • a coil 15 surrounding the sputtering chamber 1 is provided for producing an axial magnetic field which bunches or concentrates the arc discharge.
  • the base plate 7 of the sputtering chamber 1 is on ground potential while the hot cathode 13 disposed in the ionization chamber is connected to the negative pole of a source 16 generating high direct currents and having its positive pole grounded.
  • a voltage source 17 furnishing direct voltage of several thousand volts and an alternating voltage source 18 furnishing, preferably,
  • the source 17 for direct voltage sputtering or the source 18 for alternating voltage sputtering is applied to the target 6.
  • the are discharge is maintained between the hot cathode 13 provided in chamber 11 and the base plate 7 of the sputtering chamber.
  • the target which preferably is positioned in the axis of the arc discharge, is thereby'sputtered with great efficiency.
  • a device for treating workpieces under vacuum conditions by using a low voltage are discharge, particularly a triode device for sputtering coating material, including a vessel having a cathode housing portion defining a cathode chamber having conductive walls in which a hot cathode is disposed and a sputtering chamber housing portion having conductive walls defining a sputtering chamber which can be evacuated and which includes an anode, a support for the material to be sputtered located in said sputtering chamber opposite to said cathode chamber, means in said sputtering chamber to support a workpiece to be treated, a partition wall dividing said sputtering chamber housing portion from said cathode chamber housing portion area being electrically insulated from each chamber and having a central aperture therethrough, and an electric circuit arrangement being provided which insures that, during operation, said anode has the same potential as said sputtering chamber.
  • a device for treating workpieces under vacuum conditions according to claim 1, wherein said anode is formed by a portion of the wall of said sputtering chamber.
  • a device for treating workpieces under vacuum conditions according to claim 1, wherein said partition wall separating said two chambers is electrically insulated both from said cathode chamber and from said sputtering chamber walls.
  • a device for treating workpieces under vacuum conditions according to claim 1, wherein said partition wall is provided at least on its side facing said sputtering chamber with an electrically insulating surface.
  • a device for treating workpieces under vacuum conditions according to claim 1, wherein said partition wall is made of metal and electrically insulated against both of said chambers.
  • the gas to be ionized connected into said cathode chamber.
  • a device for treating workpieces under vacuum conditions including a valve connected to said vessel through which oxygen may be introduced for an anode oxidation treatment.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Physical Vapour Deposition (AREA)
US00293503A 1971-10-06 1972-09-29 Triode device for sputtering material by means of a low voltage discharge Expired - Lifetime US3839182A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CH1476071A CH551497A (de) 1971-10-06 1971-10-06 Anordnung zur zerstaeubung von stoffen mittels einer elektrischen niederspannungsentladung.

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3839182A true US3839182A (en) 1974-10-01

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00293503A Expired - Lifetime US3839182A (en) 1971-10-06 1972-09-29 Triode device for sputtering material by means of a low voltage discharge

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US3839182A (de)
CH (1) CH551497A (de)
FR (1) FR2155589A5 (de)
GB (1) GB1405489A (de)
NL (1) NL7116297A (de)

Cited By (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4111783A (en) * 1977-11-08 1978-09-05 Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated Triode sputtering system
DE2823876A1 (de) * 1977-06-01 1979-01-04 Balzers Hochvakuum Verfahren zum verdampfen von material in einer vakuumaufdampfanlage
US4514275A (en) * 1981-02-12 1985-04-30 Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho Apparatus for physical vapor deposition
US4556471A (en) * 1983-10-14 1985-12-03 Multi-Arc Vacuum Systems Inc. Physical vapor deposition apparatus
US4885068A (en) * 1988-09-08 1989-12-05 Joshin Uramoto Sheet plasma sputtering method and an apparatus for carrying out the method
US4936960A (en) * 1989-01-03 1990-06-26 Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. Method and apparatus for recovery from low impedance condition during cathodic arc processes
US4943325A (en) * 1988-10-19 1990-07-24 Black & Veatch, Engineers-Architects Reflector assembly
US4963238A (en) * 1989-01-13 1990-10-16 Siefkes Jerry D Method for removal of electrical shorts in a sputtering system
US5084151A (en) * 1985-11-26 1992-01-28 Sorin Biomedica S.P.A. Method and apparatus for forming prosthetic device having a biocompatible carbon film thereon
US5133845A (en) * 1986-12-12 1992-07-28 Sorin Biomedica, S.P.A. Method for making prosthesis of polymeric material coated with biocompatible carbon
US5250779A (en) * 1990-11-05 1993-10-05 Balzers Aktiengesellschaft Method and apparatus for heating-up a substrate by means of a low voltage arc discharge and variable magnetic field
US6007879A (en) * 1995-04-07 1999-12-28 Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. Adjustable energy quantum thin film plasma processing system
US6703081B2 (en) * 1999-07-13 2004-03-09 Unaxis Balzers Aktiengesellschaft Installation and method for vacuum treatment or powder production
US20090065045A1 (en) * 2007-09-10 2009-03-12 Zenith Solar Ltd. Solar electricity generation system
US9893223B2 (en) 2010-11-16 2018-02-13 Suncore Photovoltaics, Inc. Solar electricity generation system

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0381912B1 (de) * 1989-02-09 1994-03-09 Balzers Aktiengesellschaft Verfahren zum Zentrieren eines Elektronenstrahles
CH687111A5 (de) * 1992-05-26 1996-09-13 Balzers Hochvakuum Verfahren zum Erzeugen einer Niederspannungsentladung, Vakuumbehandlungsanlage hierfuer sowie Anwendung des Verfahrens.

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3516919A (en) * 1965-12-17 1970-06-23 Bendix Corp Apparatus for the sputtering of materials
US3616452A (en) * 1967-06-22 1971-10-26 Alsacienne De Construction Ato Production of deposits by cathode sputtering
US3708418A (en) * 1970-03-05 1973-01-02 Rca Corp Apparatus for etching of thin layers of material by ion bombardment
US3711398A (en) * 1971-02-18 1973-01-16 P Clarke Sputtering apparatus

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3516919A (en) * 1965-12-17 1970-06-23 Bendix Corp Apparatus for the sputtering of materials
US3616452A (en) * 1967-06-22 1971-10-26 Alsacienne De Construction Ato Production of deposits by cathode sputtering
US3708418A (en) * 1970-03-05 1973-01-02 Rca Corp Apparatus for etching of thin layers of material by ion bombardment
US3711398A (en) * 1971-02-18 1973-01-16 P Clarke Sputtering apparatus

Cited By (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2823876A1 (de) * 1977-06-01 1979-01-04 Balzers Hochvakuum Verfahren zum verdampfen von material in einer vakuumaufdampfanlage
US4197175A (en) * 1977-06-01 1980-04-08 Balzers Aktiengesellschaft Method and apparatus for evaporating materials in a vacuum coating plant
US4111783A (en) * 1977-11-08 1978-09-05 Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated Triode sputtering system
US4514275A (en) * 1981-02-12 1985-04-30 Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho Apparatus for physical vapor deposition
US4556471A (en) * 1983-10-14 1985-12-03 Multi-Arc Vacuum Systems Inc. Physical vapor deposition apparatus
US5084151A (en) * 1985-11-26 1992-01-28 Sorin Biomedica S.P.A. Method and apparatus for forming prosthetic device having a biocompatible carbon film thereon
US5133845A (en) * 1986-12-12 1992-07-28 Sorin Biomedica, S.P.A. Method for making prosthesis of polymeric material coated with biocompatible carbon
US4885068A (en) * 1988-09-08 1989-12-05 Joshin Uramoto Sheet plasma sputtering method and an apparatus for carrying out the method
US4943325A (en) * 1988-10-19 1990-07-24 Black & Veatch, Engineers-Architects Reflector assembly
US4936960A (en) * 1989-01-03 1990-06-26 Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. Method and apparatus for recovery from low impedance condition during cathodic arc processes
US4963238A (en) * 1989-01-13 1990-10-16 Siefkes Jerry D Method for removal of electrical shorts in a sputtering system
US5250779A (en) * 1990-11-05 1993-10-05 Balzers Aktiengesellschaft Method and apparatus for heating-up a substrate by means of a low voltage arc discharge and variable magnetic field
US6007879A (en) * 1995-04-07 1999-12-28 Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. Adjustable energy quantum thin film plasma processing system
US6368477B1 (en) 1995-04-07 2002-04-09 Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. Adjustable energy quantum thin film plasma processing system
US6703081B2 (en) * 1999-07-13 2004-03-09 Unaxis Balzers Aktiengesellschaft Installation and method for vacuum treatment or powder production
US20050028737A1 (en) * 1999-07-13 2005-02-10 Unaxis Balzers Aktiengesellschaft Installation and method for vacuum treatment or powder production
US20090065045A1 (en) * 2007-09-10 2009-03-12 Zenith Solar Ltd. Solar electricity generation system
US9893223B2 (en) 2010-11-16 2018-02-13 Suncore Photovoltaics, Inc. Solar electricity generation system

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NL7116297A (de) 1973-04-10
GB1405489A (en) 1975-09-10
DE2246983A1 (de) 1973-04-12
FR2155589A5 (de) 1973-05-18
DE2246983B2 (de) 1975-11-20
CH551497A (de) 1974-07-15

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