Method for producing sputtering target with lowered oxygen content

Abstract

Method for producing a sputtering target with a lowered oxygen content by providing an alloy selected from the group consisting of NiFe, CoCrPt, CoCrPtB, CoPt, PtMn, FeAlSi, FeCo, and FeMn; adding an oxygen scavenger element to the molten alloy selected from the group consisting of Group 4A, 3B and 4B elements; melting the alloy and the oxygen scavenger; reacting the oxygen scavenger element with oxygen in the melt to reduce the oxygen content of the alloy to a level of not more than 50 ppm and achieving a residual oxygen scavenger element content of not more than 100 ppm.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A sputtering target with a lowered oxygen content, said sputtering target containing an oxygen scavenger comprising an element capable of reducing metal components constituting the sputtering target, the lowered oxygen content of the sputtering target having been achieved by the oxygen scavenger.  
     
     
         2 . The sputtering target with a lowered oxygen content according to  claim 1 , which has an oxygen content of not more than 500 ppm, preferably not more than 300 ppm, more preferably not more than 200 ppm, still more preferably not more than 50 ppm, still more preferably not more than 10 ppm.  
     
     
         3 . The sputtering target with a lowered oxygen content according to  claim 1 , wherein the oxygen scavenger is at least one member selected from the group consisting of group 4A, 3B, and  4   B  elements.  
     
     
         4 . The sputtering target with a lowered oxygen content according to  claim 1 , wherein melting a starting material for a sputtering target and/or casting the melt involving the addition of the oxygen scavenger is carried out in a CaO crucible.  
     
     
         5 . The sputtering target with a lowered oxygen content according to  claim 1 , wherein the oxygen scavenger is at least one member selected from the group consisting of group  4   A  elements.  
     
     
         6 . The sputtering target with a lowered oxygen content according to  claim 1 , wherein the oxygen scavenger is at least one member selected from the group consisting of titanium, aluminum, boron, and carbon.  
     
     
         7 . The sputtering target with a lowered oxygen content according to  claim 1 , wherein the oxygen scavenger is titanium.  
     
     
         8 . The sputtering target with a lowered oxygen content according to  claim 1 , wherein the sputtering target is an NiFe-base, CoCrPt-base, CoCrPtB-base, CoPt-base, PtMn-base, FeAlSi-base, FeCo-base, or FeMn-base target.  
     
     
         9 . The sputtering target with a lowered oxygen content according to  claim 1 , wherein the sputtering target is an NiFe-base, Co-base, or Fe-base target with an oxygen content of not more than 10 ppm, preferably not more than 5 ppm.  
     
     
         10 . The sputtering target with a lowered oxygen content according to  claim 1 , wherein the concentration of the residual oxygen scavenger in the sputtering target is not more than 200 ppm, preferably not more than 100 ppm, more preferably not more than 50 ppm.