Magnet module having epicyclic gearing system and method of use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9305754-B2
Application number	US-201213543638-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2012
Priority date	Jul 6, 2012
Publication date	Apr 5, 2016
Grant date	Apr 5, 2016

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a magnet assembly including an epicyclic gearing system. The epicyclic gearing system including a central gear configured to be rotated, at least one peripheral gear connected to the central gear and configured to rotate and translate relative to the central gear, and an annulus surrounding the at least one peripheral gear and connected with the at least one peripheral gear. The magnet assembly further includes a magnet module connected with the epicyclic gearing system, the magnet module including a support connected with the at least one peripheral gear, the axis of rotation of the support being coaxial with the axis of rotation of the at least one peripheral gear connected with the support.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A magnet assembly comprising:
an epicyclic gearing system, the epicyclic gearing system comprising:
a central gear configured to rotate;
at least one peripheral gear connected to the central gear and configured to rotate and translate relative to the central gear; and
an annulus surrounding the at least one peripheral gear and connected with the at least one peripheral gear; and

a magnet module connected with the epicyclic gearing system, the magnet module comprising:
a circular support connected with the at least one peripheral gear, the circular support being coaxial with an axis of rotation of the at least one peripheral gear connected with the circular support; and
a plurality of magnets on a surface of the circular support opposite to the peripheral gear, the plurality of magnets including at least one first magnet having a first polarity positioned farthest from the circular support and at least a second magnet having a second polarity positioned farthest from the circular support,
wherein the circular support has a radius greater than a distance between the axis of rotation of the central gear and the axis of rotation of the at least one peripheral gear, and the magnets of the plurality of magnets are each positioned on the surface of the circular support to facilitate dispersion of a plasma across an entire surface of a target material in a sputtering chamber.

2. The magnet assembly of claim 1 , wherein the axis of rotation of the central gear is spaced from the axis of rotation of the circular support by a distance ranging from about 20 mm to about 40 mm.

3. The magnet assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of magnets are permanent magnets.

4. The magnet assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of magnets are movable relative to the circular support.

5. The magnet assembly of claim 1 , wherein the magnet module further comprises a counter-weight.

6. The magnet assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of magnets are distributed in an asymmetrical arrangement across the circular support.

7. The magnet assembly of claim 1 , wherein the dispersion of the plasma is uniform across the entire surface of the target material in the sputtering chamber.

8. A sputtering module comprising:
a sputtering chamber configured to receive a gas;
a magnet assembly positioned at one end of the sputtering chamber, the magnet assembly comprising:
an epicyclic gearing system, the epicyclic gearing system comprising:
a central gear configured to rotate;
at least one peripheral gear connected to the central gear and configured to rotate and translate relative to the central gear; and
an annulus surrounding the at least one peripheral gear and connected with the at least one peripheral gear; and

a magnet module connected with the epicyclic gearing system, the magnet module comprising:
a circular support connected with the at least one peripheral gear, the circular support being coaxial with an axis of rotation of the at least one peripheral gear connected with the circular support; and
a plurality of magnets on a surface of the circular support opposite to the peripheral gear, the plurality of magnets including at least one first magnet having a first polarity positioned farthest from the circular support and at least a second magnet having a second polarity positioned farthest from the circular support;

a wafer support positioned at an end of the sputtering chamber distal from the magnet assembly; and
a target disposed in the sputtering chamber positioned between the wafer support and the magnet assembly,
wherein the circular support has a radius greater than a distance between the axis of rotation of the central gear and the axis of rotation of the at least one peripheral gear, and the magnets of the plurality of magnets are each positioned on the surface of the circular support to facilitate dispersion of a plasma across an entire surface of the target.

9. The sputtering module of claim 8 , wherein an axis of rotation of the central gear is spaced from the axis of rotation of the circular support by a distance ranging from about 20 mm to about 40 mm.

10. The sputtering module of claim 8 , wherein the gas comprises argon, oxygen or nitrogen.

11. The sputtering module of claim 8 , wherein the target comprises aluminum, copper, titanium, tantalum or alloys thereof.

12. The sputtering module of claim 8 , wherein the magnet module further comprises a counter-weight.

13. The sputtering module of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the plurality of magnets are moveable relative to the circular support.

14. The sputtering module of claim 8 , further comprising a top electrode positioned between the target and the magnet assembly, the top electrode configured to ignite the gas to form a plasma.

15. The sputtering module of claim 8 , wherein the magnet module has a diameter in a range of about 60% to about 80% a diameter of the sputtering chamber.

16. A magnet assembly comprising:
an epicyclic gearing system, the epicyclic gearing system comprising:
a central gear configured to rotate;
a plurality of sets of concentric peripheral gears connected to the central gear and configured to rotate and translate relative to the central gear; and
an annulus surrounding the peripheral gears of the plurality of sets of concentric peripheral gears and connected with the peripheral gears of the plurality of sets of concentric peripheral gears; and

a magnet module connected with the epicyclic gearing system, the magnet module comprising:
a circular support connected with at least one peripheral gear of the plurality of sets of concentric peripheral gears, the circular support being coaxial with an axis of rotation of the at least one peripheral gear connected with the circular support; and
a plurality of magnets on a surface of the circular support opposite to the at least one peripheral gear, the plurality of magnets including at least one first magnet having a first polarity positioned farthest from the circular support and at least a second magnet having a second polarity positioned farthest from the circular support,
wherein the circular support has a radius greater than a distance between the axis of rotation of the central gear and the axis of rotation of the at least one peripheral gear, and the magnets of the plurality of magnets are each positioned on the surface of the circular support to facilitate dispersion of a plasma across an entire surface of a target material in a plasma chamber.

17. The magnet assembly of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of sets of concentric peripheral gears are evenly spaced around the central gear.

18. The magnet assembly of claim 16 , wherein an edge of the magnet module extends across the axis of rotation of the central gear.

19. The magnet assembly of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of magnets are distributed in an asymmetrical arrangement across the circular support.

20. The magnet assembly of claim 16 , wherein at least one of the plurality of magnets are movable relative to the circular support.

Assignees

• Chueh Chia-Liang
• Liu Hsu-Shui
• Pai Jiun-Rong
• Chen Pei-Nung
• Wang Yeh-Chieh
• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg

Inventors

• Chueh Chia-Liang
• Liu Hsu-Shui
• Pai Jiun-Rong
• Chen Pei-Nung
• Wang Yeh-Chieh

Classifications

• H01J37/3405

  Magnetron sputtering · CPC title

• C23C14/351 Primary

  using a magnetic field in close vicinity to the substrate · CPC title

• H01J37/3455 Primary

  Movable magnets · CPC title

• H01J37/3408

  Planar magnetron sputtering · CPC title