Fabrication of ductile intermetallic sputtering targets

Abstract

Sputtering targets are produced which have an intermetallic stoichiometry which makes them ductile enough for maching and sputtering. The targets are produced from elemental or alloy powders or alloys, at least one of which is of very fine particle size, e.g., −400 mesh. The elemental or alloy powders are blended, canned, subjected to hot isostatic pressing at low temperatures and high pressures, formed into a billet, and machined to form the target.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of fabricating ductile sputter targets that have an intermetallic chemistry, the method comprising the steps of selecting raw elemental or alloy powders, blending, canning, hot isostatic pressing at low temperatures and high pressures, forming a billet, and machining the billet to form a target.  
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the powders or alloys selected has a particle size of at least as small as −400 mesh.  
     
     
         3 . A method according the  claim 1  wherein the powders are selected so as to form an alloy of the formula X—Al—Y, wherein Al is aluminum, X is Ru, Ti, Co or Ni, and Y is Cr, B, Zr, Ta, Hf, Pt, SiO 2 , or TlO 3 .  
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 3  wherein the resulting alloy will have a crystal structure selected from the group consisting of B2, L1 2 , DO, 19  or L1 0    
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the All powder has a mean particle size of about 30 microns.  
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the parameters of hot isostatic pressing comprise a temperature of 200 to 1000° C., a pressure of 5 to 60 ksi, and a time period of 0.5 to 12 hours.  
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the target contains RuAl.  
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the target contains CoAl.  
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the target contains TiAl.  
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the target contains Al-30 at % Ni-10 at % Cr.  
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the target contains NiAl and/or NiNb.