Sputtering target and process for producing it

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016254128-A1
Application number	US-201415033427-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 27, 2014
Priority date	Oct 29, 2013
Publication date	Sep 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A sputtering target is composed of an Mo alloy containing at least one metal of group 5 of the Periodic Table, where the average content of group 5 metal is from 5 to 15 at % and the Mo content is ≧80 at %. The sputtering target has an average C/O ratio in (at %/at %) of ≧1. The sputtering targets can be produced by shaping or forming and have an improved sputtering behavior.

First claim

1 - 22 . (canceled)

23 . A sputtering target, comprising:
an Mo alloy containing at least one metal of group 5 of the Periodic Table; an average content C M of the group 5 metal of from 5 to 15 at %; an Mo content of ≧80 at %; and an average CIO ratio of the sputtering target in (at %/at %) of ≧1.

24 . The sputtering target according to claim 23 , wherein the group 5 metal is completely dissolved in the Mo.

25 . The sputtering target according to claim 23 , wherein the sputtering target has a forming texture.

26 . The sputtering target according to claim 25 , wherein the forming texture has the following dominant orientations:
a. in a forming direction: 110; and b. perpendicular to the forming direction: at least one orientation selected from the group consisting of 100 and 111.

27 . The sputtering target according to claim 25 , which further comprises a d 50 and a d 90 of a grain size distribution, measured perpendicular to a last forming direction, satisfying the following relationship: d 90 /d 50 ≦5.

28 . The sputtering target according to claim 23 , which further comprises an O content of ≦0.04 at %.

29 . The sputtering target according to claim 23 , wherein the sputtering target is free of oxides.

30 . The sputtering target according to claim 23 , which further comprises a relative density being >99.5% of a theoretical density.

31 . The sputtering target according to claim 23 , wherein the group 5 metal is uniformly distributed in solution, and a standard deviation a of the group 5 metal distribution satisfies the following relationship: σ≦C M ×0.15.

32 . The sputtering target according to claim 23 , wherein the group 5 metal is Ta or Nb.

33 . The sputtering target according to claim 23 , which further comprises from 5 to 15 at % of the group 5 metal and a balance of Mo and typical impurities.

34 . The sputtering target according to claim 23 , wherein the sputtering target is a tubular target.

35 . A process for producing a sputtering target, the process comprising the following steps:
a. producing a powder mixture having:
i. ≧80 at % of Mo powder;
ii. a powder of at least one group 5 metal having a content of group 5 metal in the powder mixture of from 5 to 15 at %; and
iii. a C source having an amount of C being selected so that a total content of C Σ C in at % and a total content of O Σ O in at % in the powder mixture satisfies the following relationship:
0.2≦ΣC/ΣO≦1.2; and

b. consolidating the powder mixture.

36 . The process according to claim 35 , which further comprises producing the sputtering target with:
an Mo alloy containing at least one metal of group 5 of the Periodic Table; an average content C M of the group 5 metal of from 5 to 15 at %; an Mo content of ≦80 at %; and an average CIO ratio of the sputtering target in (at %/at %) of ≦1.

37 . The process according to claim 35 , which further comprises carrying out a forming process.

38 . The process according to claim 35 , which further comprises carrying out the consolidating step by:
a. pressing the powder mixture at from 100 to 500 MPa to give a green body; and b. sintering the green body at a temperature T, where: 1,800° C.<T<2,500° C.

39 . The process according to claim 35 , wherein the Mo powder has a particle size measured by the Fisher method of from 2 to 7 μm and the group 5 metal has a particle size measured by the Fisher method of from 4 to 20 μm.

40 . The process according to claim 35 , wherein ΣC and ΣO satisfy the following relationship: 0.4≦ΣC/ΣO≦1.1.

41 . The process according to claim 35 , wherein the powder mixture contains no further alloying elements apart from typical impurities.

42 . The process according to claim 37 , which further comprises carrying out the forming process by rolling, extrusion or forging, having a degree of deformation of from 45 to 90%.

43 . The process according to claim 38 , which further comprises carrying out the sintering step in at least one atmosphere selected from among a vacuum, an inert atmosphere and a reducing atmosphere.

44 . The process according to claim 43 , which further comprises carrying out the sintering step for a time period being:
at least partly during a heating operation in at least one atmosphere selected from among a vacuum and an inert atmosphere, and at least partly during a hold time at a sintering temperature in a reducing atmosphere.

Assignees

• Plansee Se

Inventors

• Reinfried Nikolaus
• Schober Michael
• Knabl Wolfram
• Winkler Joerg

Classifications

• C23C14/3407 Primary

  Cathode assembly for sputtering apparatus, e.g. Target · CPC title

• C23C14/14

  Metallic material, boron or silicon · CPC title

• H01J37/3423

  Shape · CPC title

• B22F2301/20

  Refractory metals · CPC title

• B22F3/20

  by extruding · CPC title