Fine grained sputtering targets of cobalt and nickel base alloys made via casting in metal molds followed by hot forging and annealing and methods of making same

Abstract

Disclosed are sputtering targets and methods for making various nickel and cobalt base alloys into sputtering targets by melting the alloys in a vacuum or under a low partial pressure of inert gas and subsequent casting of the melt as round, square or rectangular plates in metal molds under vacuum or under low partial pressure of inert gas are provided. The plates are subsequently preheated and deformed between two flat dies.

1 . A method of making an article of metallic alloy, comprising the steps of: 
 melting the metallic alloy under vacuum or partial pressure of inert gas;    pouring the metallic alloy into a metal mold with a cavity of uniform thickness, wherein the metal mold is made by machining or casting technique from materials having melting point in the temperature range 2350° F.-3000° F. and thermal conductivity between 300-400 Btu/Ft 2 /hr/in/° F. in the temperature range 70-700° F. and ultimate tensile strength betwen 100 and 200 KSI,    solidifying the melted metallic alloy into a solid body taking the shape of the mold cavity as a plate of constant thickness;    preheating the solidified plate at temperature below the melting temperature of the metallic alloy;    deforming the preheated plate between two flat dies with the application of pressure along the thickness direction producing a plate with reduced but constant thickness;    optionally annealing the deformed plate at temperatures below the melting temperature of the metallic alloy.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mold has a temperature in the range from 30 to 800° C. when the alloy is poured into the mold.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mold has a temperature in the range from 200 to 800° C. when the alloy is poured into the mold.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mold has a temperature in the range from 100 to 500° C. when the alloy is poured into the mold.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mold cavity is round or square or rectangular with a constant thickness in the range from 0.25 to 2 inch.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mold cavity is round or square or rectangular with a constant thickness in the range from 0.5 to 2 inch.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mold cavity is round or square or rectangular with a constant thickness in the range from 0.5 to 1 inch.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solidified plate is preheated before deformation at temperature in the range from 500 to 2200° F.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solidified plate is preheated before deformation at temperature in the range from 1000 to 2200° F.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solidified plate is preheated before deformation at temperature in the range from 1000 to 2000° F.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solidified plate is preheated before deformation at temperature in the range from 1200 to 1800° F.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solidified plate is preheated before deformation at temperatures in the range from 1200 to 1600° F.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preheated plate is pressed between two flat dies at strain rate in the range from 0.1/second to 10/second.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preheated plate is pressed between two flat dies at strain rate in the range from 0.5/second to 10/second.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preheated plate is pressed between two flat dies at strain rate in the range from 1/second to 10/second.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preheated plate is pressed between two flat dies at strain rate in the range from 1/second to 5/second.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preheated plate is deformed between two flat dies undergoing 10-80% reduction in thickness.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preheated plate is deformed between two flat dies to undergo 20-80% reduction in thickness.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preheated plate is deformed between two flat dies to undergo 30-70% reduction in thickness.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic alloy is a cobalt base alloy having the composition in weight percent as follows: 
 Cobalt=Balance    Chromium=5 to 20%    Tantalum=5 to 15%    and inevitable impurity elements, wherein the impurity elements are less than 0.01% each and less than 0.05% total    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic alloy is a cobalt base alloy having the composition in weight percent as follows: 
 Cobalt=Balance    Chromium=5-20%    Iron=0-15%    and inevitable impurity elements, wherein the impurity elements are less than 0.01% each and less than 0.05% total.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic alloy is a cobalt base alloy having the composition in weight percent as follows: 
 Cobalt=Balance    Chromium=5-20%    Platinum=5-15%    Boron=0-2%    and inevitable impurity elements, wherein the impurity elements are less than 0.01% each and less than 0.05% total.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic alloy is a cobalt base alloy having the composition in weight percent as follows: 
 Cobalt=Balance    Chromium=0-20%    Zirconium=0-5%    Niobium=0-5%    Tantalum=0-10%    Hafnium=0-10%    and inevitable impurity elements, wherein the impurity elements are less than 0.01% each and less than 0.05% total.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic alloy is a nickel base alloy having the composition in weight percent as follows: 
 Nickel=Balance    Chromium=0-20%    Iron=0-10%    and inevitable impurity elements, wherein the impurity elements are less than 0.01% each and less than 0.05% total.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic alloy is a nickel base alloy having the composition in weight percent as follows: 
 Nickel=Balance    Chromium=0-20%    Rhodium=0-10%    and inevitable impurity elements, wherein the impurity elements are less than 0.01% each and less than 0.05% total.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic alloy is a nickel base alloy having the composition in weight percent as follows: 
 Nickel=Balance    Chromium=0-20%    Tungsten=0-10%    and inevitable impurity elements, wherein the impurity elements are less than 0.01% each and less than 0.05% total.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic alloy is a nickel base alloy having the composition in weight percent as follows: 
 Nickel=Balance    Vanadium=0-10%    and inevitable impurity elements, wherein the impurity elements are less than 0.01% each and less than 0.05% total.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic alloy has the composition in weight percent as follows: 
 Nickel=99.95 to 99.99%.    
     
     
         29 . A sputtering target made by the method of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         30 . The sputtering target of  claim 29 , wherein the sputtering target is a nickel base alloy sputtering target.  
     
     
         31 . The sputtering target of  claim 29 , wherein the sputtering target is a cobalt base alloy sputtering target.  
     
     
         32 . A nickel base or cobalt base alloy sputtering target having a percentage pass through flux of at least 60%.  
     
     
         33 . The sputtering target of  claim 32 , having a percentage pass through flux of at least 65%.  
     
     
         34 . The sputtering target of  claim 32 , having a percentage pass through flux of 65% to 80%.  
     
     
         35 . The sputtering target of  claim 32 , having a percentage pass through flux of 65% to 75%.  
     
     
         36 . The sputtering target of  claim 32 , wherein the sputtering target is a nickel base alloy sputtering target.  
     
     
         37 . The sputtering target of  claim 32 , wherein the sputtering target is a cobalt base alloy sputtering target.