Aluminum-scandium composite, aluminum-scandium composite sputtering target and methods of making

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12545976-B2
Application number	US-202118000180-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2021
Priority date	Jun 5, 2020
Publication date	Feb 10, 2026
Grant date	Feb 10, 2026

Abstract

An Al—Sc alloy sputtering target. The target comprising from 1.0 at % to 65 at % scandium and from 35 at % to 99 at % aluminum and having a microstructure including a first aluminum matrix phase and a second phase dispersed uniformly therethrough. The second phase comprises one or more compounds corresponding to the formula Sc x Al y , where x is from 1 to 2 and y is from 0 to 3.

First claim

We claim:

1 . An Al—Sc composite comprising from 1.0 at % to 65 at % scandium (Sc) and from 35 at % to 99 at % aluminum (Al), having a microstructure including a first aluminum matrix phase and a second phase dispersed therethrough, the second phase comprising a compound corresponding to the formula Al x Sc y , where x is from 0 to 3 and y is from 1 to 2; wherein the concentration of scandium in the second phase is at least 1% greater than the concentration predicted by the equilibrium phase diagram for aluminum-scandium.

2 . The composite of claim 1 , wherein the second phase comprises Al 3 Sc, Al 2 Sc, AlSc, AlSc 2 , Sc, or combinations thereof.

3 . The composite of claim 1 , wherein the second phase comprises less than 60 mol % Al 2 Sc, based on the total moles of the second phase.

4 . The composite of claim 1 , wherein the composite comprises at least 5 vol % of the first aluminum matrix phase as determined by quantitative image analysis.

5 . The composite of claim 1 , wherein the microstructure includes from 20 vol % to 99 vol % of the first aluminum matrix phase and from 1% to 80 vol % of the second phase as determined by quantitative image analysis.

6 . The composite of claim 1 , wherein the concentration of scandium in the second phase is greater than the concentration predicted by the equilibrium phase diagram for aluminum-scandium.

7 . The composite of claim 1 , wherein the second phase comprises greater than 25 at % scandium.

8 . The composite of claim 1 , wherein the second phase comprises greater than 1 mol % of Al 2 Sc, AlSc, AlSc 2 , or Sc or combinations thereof.

9 . The composite of claim 1 , wherein the second phase comprises less than 85 mol % aluminum.

10 . The composite of claim 1 , wherein the second phase further comprises from 1.0 mol % to 70 mol % scandium nitride (ScN).

11 . The composite of claim 1 , wherein grains of the first aluminum matrix phase are characterized by a crystallographic orientation of (110).

12 . The composite of claim 1 , wherein grains of the first aluminum matrix phase are characterized by a random crystallographic orientation.

13 . The composite of claim 1 , wherein the second phase is characterized as having a particle size ranging from 0.5 microns to 500 microns.

14 . The composite of claim 1 , wherein the microstructure is substantially devoid of microcracks, fissures, and oxide inclusions.

15 . The composite of claim 1 , wherein the composite is a sputtering target comprising less than 1000 ppm of oxygen.

16 . A process for producing a non-equilibrium composite, as recited in claim 1 the process comprising:
providing a second phase powder comprising a compound corresponding to the formula Al x Sc y , where x is from 0 to 3 and y is from 1 to 2;
mixing the powder with a first phase comprising aluminum to form a composite precursor;
applying at least one of heat or pressure to the composite precursor to consolidate the materials; and
cooling the consolidated composite precursor to form the non-equilibrium composite;
wherein the concentration of scandium in the second phase is at least 1% greater than the concentration predicted by the equilibrium phase diagram for aluminum-scandium.

17 . The process of claim 16 , wherein the compound comprises Al 3 Sc, Al 2 Sc, AlSc, AlSC 2 , Sc, or combinations thereof, present in an amount greater than 1 mol %, and free aluminum, present in an amount greater than 20 vol %.

18 . An Al—Sc composite sputtering target comprising from 1.0 at % to 65 at % scandium (Sc) and from 35 at % to 99 at % aluminum (Al), having a microstructure including a first aluminum matrix phase and a second phase dispersed therethrough, the second phase comprising a compound corresponding to the formula Al x Sc y , where x is from 0 to 3 and y is from 1 to 2; wherein the concentration of scandium in the second phase is at least 1% greater than the concentration predicted by the equilibrium phase diagram for aluminum-scandium.

19 . The sputtering target of claim 18 , wherein the uniformity of scandium across a surface of the sputtering target varies by less than +/−0.5 at % scandium over an entire radius of the surface.

20 . An Al—Sc composite comprising from 1.0 at % to 65 at % scandium (Sc) and from 35 at % to 99 at % aluminum (Al), having a microstructure including a first aluminum matrix phase and a second phase dispersed therethrough, the second phase comprising a compound corresponding to the formula Al x SC y , where x is from 0 to 3 and y is from 1 to 2, wherein the second phase further comprises from 1.0 mol % to 70 mol % scandium nitride (ScN).

21 . A process for producing a non-equilibrium composite, as recited in claim 20 the process comprising:
providing a second phase powder comprising a compound corresponding to the formula Al x Sc y , where x is from 0 to 3 and y is from 1 to 2;
mixing the powder with a first phase comprising aluminum to form a composite precursor;
applying at least one of heat or pressure to the composite precursor to consolidate the materials; and
cooling the consolidated composite precursor to form the non-equilibrium composite;
wherein the second phase further comprises from 1.0 mol % to 70 mol % scandium nitride (ScN).

22 . An Al—Sc composite sputtering target comprising from 1.0 at % to 65 at % scandium (Sc) and from 35 at % to 99 at % aluminum (Al), having a microstructure including a first aluminum matrix phase and a second phase dispersed therethrough, the second phase comprising a compound corresponding to the formula Al x Sc y , where x is from 0 to 3 and y is from 1 to 2; wherein the second phase further comprises from 1.0 mol % to 70 mol % scandium nitride (ScN).

Assignees

• Materion Corp

Inventors

• Van Heerden David Peter
• Gardinier Katharine S
• Bailey Robert S

Classifications

• C22C1/047

  comprising intermetallic compounds {(C22C1/0441 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• C22C21/00

  Alloys based on aluminium · CPC title

• C23C14/3414 Primary

  Metallurgical or chemical aspects of target preparation, e.g. casting, powder metallurgy · CPC title

• C22C32/0068

  only nitrides · CPC title

• B22F2998/10

  Processes characterised by the sequence of their steps · CPC title