Method and design for sputter target attachment to a backing plate

Abstract

A method of assembling the components of a sputter cathode assembly via thermal expansion of projections provided on one assembly member to provide thermal contact to the other assembly member, and the sputter cathode formed thereby are described. The method forms a temporary mechanical attachment of component members that ends when the components are cooled below the predetermined contact temperature. The method optionally includes mechanically interlocking the assembly components together.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of forming a sputter assembly, comprising: 
 positioning a first assembly member having a mating surface with a plurality of projections having side walls, and a second assembly member having a mating surface with a plurality of corresponding grooves having side walls, whereby said projections are received in said grooves, wherein gaps are present between the side walls of said projections and the side walls of said grooves; and    heating said first assembly member or said second assembly member or both, whereby thermal expansion causes contacting of the side walls of said projections and the side walls of said grooves at a contact temperature to form a temporary mechanical attachment between said first assembly member and said second assembly member.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising mechanically interlocking said first assembly member and said second assembly member.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said mechanically interlocking is achieved by rotating said first assembly member and said second assembly member relative to one another.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing at least one mechanical interlock on said mating surfaces.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said positioning comprises rotating said first assembly member and said second assembly member relative to one another, whereby said projections are received in said grooves.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first assembly member comprises a sputter target, and said second assembly member comprises a backing plate.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first assembly member comprises an electrode, and said second assembly member comprises a sputter target.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first assembly member or said second assembly member is a sputter target, and wherein said sputter target has a rectangular shape.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first assembly member or said second assembly member is a sputter target comprising cobalt, titanium, copper, aluminum, tantalum, niobium, nickel, molybdenum, zirconium, hafnium, gold, silver, or alloys thereof.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first assembly member or said second assembly member is an electrode comprising copper, aluminum, titanium, molybdenum, niobium, alloys thereof, or steel.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first assembly member comprises a backing plate that is bonded to a sputter target, and wherein said second assembly member comprises an electrode.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said backing plate comprises aluminum, chromium, copper, tantalum, titanium, alloys thereof, or steel.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first assembly member comprises an electrode, and wherein said second assembly member comprises a backing plate that is bonded to a sputter target.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said backing plate comprises copper, aluminum, titanium, alloys thereof, or steel.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said heating comprises sputtering.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said projections are cylindrical, or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said projections comprise concentric rows.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said grooves comprise a groove channel.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said grooves comprise concentric groove channels.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said gaps include predetermined dimensions such that said contact occurs substantially simultaneously for each of said projections.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said gaps include predetermined dimensions such that said contact temperature is from about 30 to about 300° C.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said mating surfaces are placed in thermal contact by said mechanical attachment.  
     
     
         23 . A sputter assembly comprising: 
 a first assembly member having a mating surface with a plurality of projections having side walls; and    a second assembly member having a mating surface with a plurality of corresponding grooves having sidewalls, wherein said projections are received in said grooves, and wherein the side walls of said projections and the side walls of said grooves are adapted to form a temporary mechanical attachment between said first assembly member and said second assembly member at a contact temperature.    
     
     
         24 . The sputter assembly of  claim 23 , further comprising a mechanical interlock for interlocking said first assembly member and said second assembly member.  
     
     
         25 . The sputter assembly of  claim 23 , wherein said first assembly and said second assembly are adapted to be mechanically interlocked by rotation of said mating surfaces relative to each other.  
     
     
         26 . The sputter assembly of  claim 24 , wherein said mechanical interlock is formed on said mating surfaces for interlocking said first assembly member and said second assembly member.  
     
     
         27 . The sputter assembly of  claim 26 , wherein said mechanical interlock includes a trapezoid shaped recess adapted to receive a trapezoid shaped protrusion.  
     
     
         28 . The sputter assembly of  claim 26 , wherein said mechanical interlock includes a “T” shaped recess adapted to receive a “T” shaped protrusion.  
     
     
         29 . The sputter assembly of  claim 26 , wherein said mechanical interlock includes an “L” shaped recess adapted to receive an “L” shaped protrusion.  
     
     
         30 . The sputter assembly of  claim 26 , wherein said mechanical interlock includes a triangular shaped recess adapted to receive a triangular shaped protrusion.  
     
     
         31 . The sputter assembly of  claim 23 , wherein said projections are adapted to be received in said grooves by rotation of said first assembly member and said second assembly member relative to one another.  
     
     
         32 . The sputter assembly of  claim 23 , wherein said first assembly member comprises a sputter target, and said second assembly member comprises a backing plate.  
     
     
         33 . The sputter assembly of  claim 23 , wherein said first assembly member comprises an electrode, and said second assembly member comprises a sputter target.  
     
     
         34 . The sputter assembly of  claim 23 , wherein said first assembly member or said second assembly member is a rectangular shaped sputter target.  
     
     
         35 . The sputter assembly of  claim 23 , wherein said first assembly member or said second assembly member is a sputter target comprising cobalt, titanium, copper, aluminum, tantalum, niobium, nickel, molybdenum, zirconium, hafnium, gold, silver, or alloys thereof.  
     
     
         36 . The sputter assembly of  claim 23 , wherein said first assembly member or said second assembly member is an electrode comprising copper, aluminum, titanium, molybdenum, niobium, alloys thereof, or steel.  
     
     
         37 . The sputter assembly of  claim 23 , wherein first assembly member comprises a backing plate that is bonded to a sputter target, and wherein said second assembly member comprises an electrode.  
     
     
         38 . The sputter assembly of  claim 37 , wherein said backing plate comprises aluminum, copper, tantalum, titanium, alloys thereof, or steel.  
     
     
         39 . The sputter assembly of  claim 37 , wherein said backing plate is bonded to said sputter target by explosion bonding, diffusion bonding, friction welding, press fitting, resistance welding, soldering, brazing, or welding.  
     
     
         40 . The sputter assembly of  claim 23 , wherein said first assembly member comprises an electrode, and wherein said second assembly member comprises a backing plate that is bonded to a sputter target.  
     
     
         41 . The sputter assembly of  claim 40 , wherein said backing plate comprises aluminum, copper, tantalum, titanium, alloys thereof, or steel.  
     
     
         42 . The sputter assembly of  claim 40 , wherein said backing plate is bonded to said sputter target by explosion bonding, diffusion bonding, friction welding, press fitting, resistance welding, soldering, brazing, or welding.  
     
     
         43 . The sputter assembly of  claim 23 , wherein said thermal expansion is achieved by sputtering said sputtering target assembly.  
     
     
         44 . The sputter assembly of  claim 23 , wherein said projections are cylindrical, rectangular, or any combinations thereof.  
     
     
         45 . The sputter assembly of  claim 23 , wherein said projections comprise concentric rows.  
     
     
         46 . The sputter assembly of  claim 23 , wherein said grooves comprise a groove channel.  
     
     
         47 . The sputter assembly of  claim 23 , wherein said grooves comprise concentric groove channels.  
     
     
         48 . The sputter assembly of  claim 23 , wherein each of said projections contacts a respective groove substantially simultaneously.  
     
     
         49 . The sputter assembly of  claim 23 , wherein said contact temperature is from about 30 to about 300° C.  
     
     
         50 . The sputter assembly of  claim 23 , wherein said mating surfaces are adapted to be placed in thermal contact by said mechanical attachment.  
     
     
         51 . The sputter assembly of  claim 23 , wherein a gap exists between said side walls of said grooves and said side walls of said projections when said grooves and said projections are at a temperature that is less than said contact temperature.  
     
     
         52 . The sputter assembly of  claim 51 , wherein each of said gaps are adapted to close simultaneously by thermal expansion of said side walls of said projections, said side walls of said grooves, or both.