Apparatus and method for physical vapor deposition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12014912-B2
Application number	US-202117308372-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 5, 2021
Priority date	May 5, 2021
Publication date	Jun 18, 2024
Grant date	Jun 18, 2024

Abstract

An apparatus and method for physical vapor deposition includes a magnetron having a plurality of electromagnets disposed between a base and a magnetic conductive plate. The magnetron includes a plurality of individually controlled electromagnets between a base and an electromagnetic plate. The magnetron controls the polarity and strength of current supplied to the respective electromagnets to generate magnetic fields that confine electrons to areas near a target material within the deposition chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A magnetron for physical vapor deposition, comprising:
a magnetic conductive plate defining a plurality of receptacles, wherein the magnetic conductive plate comprises magnetic conductive segments disposed within at least some receptacles of the plurality of receptacles;
a base coupled to the magnetic conductive plate; and
a plurality of electromagnets disposed between the magnetic conductive plate and the base in a first direction and spaced apart from the magnetic conductive plate in the first direction, wherein:
the plurality of electromagnets are in direct contact with the base, and
each electromagnet of the plurality of electromagnets comprises:
a magnetic core;
a coil surrounding the magnetic core, wherein the coil comprises a conductor; and
an encapsulator encapsulating the magnetic core and the coil, wherein the encapsulator comprises a magnetic-isolated material.

2. The magnetron of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic conductive plate comprises:
side surfaces defining the plurality of receptacles.

3. The magnetron of claim 2 wherein some of the magnetic conductive segments disposed within some receptacles of the plurality of receptacles collectively define a polygonal shape.

4. The magnetron of claim 1 , comprising a current regulator electrically coupled to one or more electromagnets of the plurality of electromagnets.

5. The magnetron of claim 4 , comprising a programmer electrically coupled to the current regulator to activate at least one electromagnet of the plurality of electromagnets, and to concurrently deactivate at least one other electromagnet of the plurality of electromagnets.

6. A deposition device for physical vapor deposition, comprising:
a housing defining a deposition chamber, wherein the housing comprises a side surface defining a gas port to introduce a gas into the deposition chamber;
a holder disposed within the deposition chamber, wherein the holder comprises a surface; and
a magnetron disposed within the deposition chamber, wherein the magnetron comprises:
a magnetic conductive plate defining a plurality of receptacles, wherein the magnetic conductive plate comprises magnetic conductive segments disposed within at least some receptacles of the plurality of receptacles,
a base, wherein the magnetic conductive plate is disposed between the base and the surface in a first direction, and
a plurality of electromagnets in direct contact with the base, wherein the plurality of electromagnets are disposed between the magnetic conductive plate and the base in the first direction and spaced apart from the magnetic conductive plate, including the magnetic conductive segments, in the first direction,

wherein each electromagnet of the plurality of electromagnets comprises:
a magnetic core;
a coil surrounding the magnetic core, wherein the coil comprises a conductor; and
an encapsulator encapsulating the magnetic core and the coil, wherein the encapsulator comprises a magnetic-isolated material.

7. The deposition device of claim 6 , wherein:
the magnetic conductive plate comprises side surfaces defining the plurality of receptacles.

8. The deposition device of claim 7 , wherein the side surfaces of the magnetic conductive plate define a pattern of triangular receptacles of the plurality of receptacles.

9. The deposition device of claim 7 , wherein a first group of the magnetic conductive segments disposed within a first set of the plurality of receptacles collectively define a polygonal shape.

10. The deposition device of claim 6 , comprising a target material disposed between the magnetron and the holder and spaced apart from the magnetic conductive plate.

11. The deposition device of claim 6 , wherein:
the base comprises side surfaces defining a plurality of conductor receptacles, and
the conductor of each of the plurality of electromagnets passes through a corresponding conductor receptacle of the plurality of conductor receptacles.

12. The deposition device of claim 6 , comprising a current regulator electrically coupled to one or more electromagnets of the plurality of electromagnets.

13. The deposition device of claim 12 , comprising a programmer electrically coupled to the current regulator to activate at least one electromagnet of the plurality of electromagnets, and to concurrently deactivate at least one other electromagnet of the plurality of electromagnets.

14. The deposition device of claim 6 , wherein:
a first electromagnet of the plurality of electromagnets has a first polarity, and
a second electromagnet of the plurality of electromagnets has a second polarity, opposite the first polarity.

15. A deposition device for physical vapor deposition, comprising:
a magnetron comprising:
a magnetic conductive plate defining a plurality of receptacles, wherein the magnetic conductive plate comprises magnetic conductive segments disposed within at least some receptacles of the plurality of receptacles; and
a plurality of electromagnets overlying the magnetic conductive segments in a first direction and spaced apart from the magnetic conductive plate, wherein the plurality of electromagnets are in direct contact with a base of the magnetron; and

a holder for supporting a substrate, wherein the magnetic conductive segments are between the plurality of electromagnets and the holder in the first direction,
wherein each electromagnet of the plurality of electromagnets comprises:
a magnetic core;
a coil surrounding the magnetic core, wherein the coil comprises a conductor; and
an encapsulator encapsulating the magnetic core and the coil, wherein the encapsulator comprises a magnetic-isolated material.

16. The deposition device of claim 15 , wherein the magnetron further comprises:
a magnetic conductive plate support extending between the base and the magnetic conductive plate.

17. The deposition device of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of electromagnets are disposed between the magnetic conductive plate and the base in the first direction.

18. The deposition device of claim 15 , wherein the magnetron further comprises a current regulator electrically coupled to one or more electromagnets of the plurality of electromagnets.

19. The deposition device of claim 16 , wherein:
the base comprises side surfaces defining a plurality of conductor receptacles, and
the conductor of each of the plurality of electromagnets passes through a corresponding conductor receptacle of the plurality of conductor receptacles.

20. The magnetron of claim 1 , wherein:
the base comprises side surfaces defining a plurality of conductor receptacles, and
the conductor of each of the plurality of electromagnets passes through a corresponding conductor receptacle of the plurality of conductor receptacles.

Assignees

• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wang Yu-Young
• Yang Wen-Cheng
• Ni Chyi-Tsong

Classifications

• C23C14/35 Primary

  by application of a magnetic field, e.g. magnetron sputtering {(C23C14/3457 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• H01F27/24

  Magnetic cores · CPC title

• H01F27/327

  Encapsulating or impregnating (encapsulating coil and core H01F27/022) · CPC title

• H01F27/28

  Coils; Windings; Conductive connections · CPC title

• H01F7/20

  without armatures (cores H01F3/00; coils H01F5/00 {; shaping metal by applying magnetic forces B21D26/14; electromagnets specially adapted for NMR applications G01R33/381}) · CPC title