Magnetron sputtering target and method for manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9502224-B2
Application number	US-201214357852-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2012
Priority date	Nov 17, 2011
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

Provided is a magnetron sputtering target having a ferromagnetic metal element. This magnetron sputtering target includes: a magnetic phase containing the ferromagnetic metal element; a plurality of non-magnetic phases that each contain the ferromagnetic metal element and that are different in constituent elements or a content ratio of constituent elements; and an oxide phase. At least one of the plurality of non-magnetic phases is more finely interdispersed with the oxide phase than the magnetic phase.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A magnetron sputtering target having a ferromagnetic metal element, the magnetron sputtering target including a sintered body that comprises:
a magnetic phase containing the ferromagnetic metal element;
a plurality of non-magnetic phases that each contain the ferromagnetic metal element and that are different in constituent elements or a content ratio of constituent elements; and
an oxide phase,
wherein an average size of at least one of the plurality of non-magnetic phases, which is interspersed with the oxide phase, is smaller than an average size of the magnetic phase.

2. The magnetron sputtering target according to claim 1 , wherein an average size of one of the plurality of non-magnetic phases, which is interspersed with the oxide phase, is smaller than an average size of another of the plurality of non-magnetic phases.

3. The magnetron sputtering target according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic phase has an average phase size of 40 μm or larger and 80 μm or smaller.

4. The magnetron sputtering target according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of non-magnetic phases are two non-magnetic phases.

5. The magnetron sputtering target according to claim 1 , wherein the ferromagnetic metal element is Co.

6. The magnetron sputtering target according to claim 5 , wherein the magnetic phase is a Co—Cr alloy phase in which the ratio of an amount of Co is 85 at % or more.

7. The magnetron sputtering target according to claim 5 , wherein the magnetic phase is composed only of Co.

8. The magnetron sputtering target according to claim 5 , wherein at least one of the non-magnetic phases is a Co—Cr alloy phase in which the ratio of an amount of Co is more than 0 at % and 75 at % or less or a Co—Cr—Pt alloy phase in which the ratio of an amount of Co is more than 0 at % and 73 at % or less.

9. The magnetron sputtering target according to claim 5 , wherein at least one of the non-magnetic phases is a Co—Pt alloy phase in which the ratio of an amount of Co is more than 0 at % and 12 at % or less.

10. The magnetron sputtering target according to claim 1 , wherein the oxide phase contains at least one of SiO 2 , TiO 2 , Ti 2 O 3 , Ta 2 O 5 , Cr 2 O 3 , CoO, Co 3 O 4 , B 2 O 3 , Fe 2 O 3 , CuO, Y 2 O 3 , MgO, Al 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , Nb 2 O 5 , MoO 3 , CeO 2 , Sm 2 O 3 , Gd 2 O 3 , WO 2 , WO 3 , HfO 2 , and NiO 2 .

11. A manufacturing method of a magnetron sputtering target, the method comprising:
mixing and dispersing:
(i) a first non-magnetic metal powder containing a ferromagnetic metal element, and
(ii) an oxide powder
to obtain a non-magnetic powder mixture , wherein the mixing and dispersing is performed with a ball mill until a cumulative rotation number of 1,000,000 or more of the ball mill is reached during the mixing and dispersing; and

mixing and dispersing:
(i) the obtained non-magnetic powder mixture,
(ii) a magnetic metal powder containing the ferromagnetic metal element, and
(iii) a second non-magnetic metal powder containing the ferromagnetic metal element, the second non-magnetic metal powder being different in constituent elements or a content ratio of constituent elements from the first non-magnetic metal powder
to obtain a powder mixture for pressure sintering,

wherein:
the mixing and dispersing to obtain the powder mixture for pressure sintering is terminated before each particle size decreases; and
the powder mixture for pressure sintering has particle sizes of its respective constituent components so as to provide, in a sintered body made from the powder mixture, an average size of a phase comprising the first non-magnetic metal powder that is smaller than an average size of a phase comprising the magnetic metal powder.

12. A manufacturing method of a magnetron sputtering target, the method comprising:
mixing and dispersing:
(i) a first non-magnetic metal powder containing a ferromagnetic metal element, and
(ii) a first oxide powder
to obtain a non-magnetic powder mixture , wherein the mixing and dispersing is performed with a ball mill until a cumulative rotation number of 1,000,000 or more of the ball mill is reached during the mixing and dispersing; and

mixing and dispersing:
(i) the obtained non-magnetic powder mixture,
(ii) a magnetic metal powder containing the ferromagnetic metal element,
(iii) a second non-magnetic metal powder containing the ferromagnetic metal element, the second non-magnetic metal powder being different in constituent elements or a content ratio of constituent elements from the first non-magnetic metal powder, and
(iv) a second oxide powder,
to obtain a powder mixture for pressure sintering,

wherein:
the mixing and dispersing to obtain the powder mixture for pressure sintering is terminated before each particle size decreases; and
the powder mixture for pressure sintering has particle sizes of its respective constituent components so as to provide, in a sintered body made from the powder mixture, an average size of a phase comprising the first non-magnetic metal powder that is smaller than an average size of a phase comprising the magnetic metal powder.

13. The manufacturing method of a magnetron sputtering target according to claim 11 , wherein two types of non-magnetic metal powders are used.

14. The manufacturing method of a magnetron sputtering target according to claim 11 , wherein the ferromagnetic metal element is Co.

15. The manufacturing method of a magnetron sputtering target according to claim 14 , wherein the magnetic metal powder contains Co and Cr as main components, and the ratio of an amount of Co contained in the magnetic metal powder is 85 at % or more.

16. The manufacturing method of a magnetron sputtering target according to claim 14 , wherein the magnetic metal powder is composed only of Co.

17. The manufacturing method of a magnetron sputtering target according to claim 14 , wherein at least one of the plurality of non-magnetic metal powders is a Co—Cr alloy in which the ratio of an amount of Co is more than 0 at % and 75 at % or less or a Co—Cr—Pt alloy in which the ratio of an amount of Co is more than 0 at % and 73 at % or less.

18. The manufacturing method of a magnetron sputtering target according to claim 14 , wherein at least one of the plurality of non-magnetic metal powders is a Co—Pt alloy in which the ratio of an amount of Co is more than 0 at % and 12 at % or less.

19. A magnetron sputtering target obtained by the manufacturing method according to claim 11 .

20. The magnetron sputtering target according to claim 2 , wherein the magnetic phase has an average phase size of 40 μm or larger and 80 μm or smaller.

21. The magnetron sputtering target according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of non-magnetic phases are two non-magnetic phases.

22. The magnetron sputtering target according to claim 2 , wherein the ferromagnetic metal element is Co.

23. The magnetron sputtering target according to claim 22 , wherein the magnetic phase is a Co—Cr alloy phase in which the ratio of an amount of Co is 85 at % or more.

24. The magnetron sputtering target according to claim 22 , wherein the magnetic phase is composed only of Co.

25. The magnetron sputtering target according to claim 22 , wherein at least one of the non-magnetic phases is a Co—Cr alloy phase in which the ratio of an amount of Co is more than 0 at % and 75 at % or less or a Co—Cr—Pt alloy phase in which the ratio of an amount of Co

Assignees

• Tanaka Precious Metal Ind

Inventors

• Miyashita Takanobu
• Goto Yasuyuki

Classifications

• B22F3/00

  Manufacture of workpieces or articles from metallic powder characterised by the manner of compacting or sintering; Apparatus specially adapted therefor {; Presses and furnaces} · CPC title

• C22C27/06

  Alloys based on chromium · CPC title

• B22F3/14

  simultaneously · CPC title

• C22C5/04

  Alloys based on a platinum group metal · CPC title

• C23C14/3414

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