Methods and apparatus for nodule control in a titanium-tungsten target

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016189941-A1
Application number	US-201414587967-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 31, 2014
Priority date	Dec 31, 2014
Publication date	Jun 30, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure include methods and apparatus for controlling titanium-tungsten (TiW) target nodule formation. In some embodiments, a target includes: a source material comprising predominantly titanium (Ti) and tungsten (W), formed from a mixture of titanium powder and tungsten powder, wherein a grain size of a predominant quantity of the titanium powder is less than or equal to a grain size of a predominant quantity of the tungsten powder.

First claim

1 . A target, comprising:
a source material comprising predominantly titanium (Ti) and tungsten (W), formed from a mixture of titanium powder and tungsten powder, wherein a grain size of a predominant quantity of the titanium powder is less than or equal to a grain size of a predominant quantity of the tungsten powder.

2 . The target of claim 1 , wherein target comprises a source material consisting essentially of titanium (Ti) and tungsten (W).

3 . The target of claim 1 , wherein the grain size of substantially all of the titanium powder is less than or equal to the grain size of substantially all of the tungsten powder.

4 . The target of claim 1 , wherein the target comprises about 90 weight percent tungsten (W) and about 10 weight percent titanium (Ti).

5 . The target of claim 1 , wherein the target further comprises a density of at least about 98 percent.

6 . The target of claim 1 , wherein an average grain size of the titanium powder is less than about 20 μm.

7 . The target of claim 6 , wherein an average grain size of the tungsten powder is about 20 μm to about 45 μm.

8 . The target of claim 1 , wherein an average grain size of the titanium powder and an average grain size of the tungsten powder are each about 20 μm to about 30 μm.

9 . A method of forming a titanium-tungsten (Ti—W) target, comprising:
mixing a tungsten powder and a titanium powder to form a mixture, wherein a grain size of a predominant quantity of the titanium powder in the mixture is less than or equal to a grain size of a predominant quantity of the tungsten powder;
compacting the mixture; and
heating the mixture to form the target.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the target comprises about 90 weight percent tungsten (W) and about 10 weight percent titanium (Ti).

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the target further comprises a density of at least about 98 percent.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein an average grain size of the titanium powder is less than about 20 μm.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein an average grain size of the tungsten powder is about 20 μm to about 45 μm.

14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein an average grain size of the titanium powder and an average grain size of the tungsten powder are each about 20 μm to about 30 μm.

15 . A method of removing nodules from a target, comprising:
(a) exposing the target to an inert gas, wherein the target comprises a source material, comprising predominantly titanium (Ti) and tungsten (W), formed from a mixture of titanium powder and tungsten powder, and wherein a grain size of a predominant quantity of the titanium powder is less than or equal to a grain size of a predominant quantity of the tungsten powder; (b) applying DC power to the target at a first power to ignite the inert gas to form a plasma; and (c) increasing the DC power to the target to a second power to remove nodules from the target.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the inert gas is argon.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the first power is about 500 watts.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising exposing the target to the inert gas at the first power for about 2 seconds.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the second power is about 1000 watts.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising exposing the target to the inert gas at the second power for about 600 seconds.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Wei Junqi
• Cao Zhitao
• Ow Yueh Sheng
• Jupudi Ananthkrishna
• Savandaiah Kirankumar
• Wang Xin
• Thirunavukarasu Sriskantharajah

Classifications

• H01J37/3491

  Manufacturing of targets · CPC title

• C22C27/04

  Alloys based on tungsten or molybdenum · CPC title

• B22F2998/10

  Processes characterised by the sequence of their steps · CPC title

• B22F2999/00

  Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy · CPC title

• H01J37/3429 Primary

  Plural materials · CPC title