Sputtering cathode adapter assembly and method

Abstract

An adapter assembly is provided for supporting a sputtering cathode in a fixed opening in the chamber of a sputter coating machine. The assembly includes: one of several adapter bodies, each configured to support, in the fixed opening, a target of one of a plurality of sizes and types, and at one of several target-to-substrate spacings; one of several insulator rings, each for a target of a different size or type; one of several dark-space shields, each for a target of a different size, type, material, or processing pressure; and one of several adapter shields, each for a different adapter body and target material. Only the shields accumulate deposits and require cleaning or replacement. The dark-space shield is spaced from the target rim by a gap of at 0.045 to 0.067 inches to form a deep narrow space that prevents deposits onto the insulator ring while avoiding arcing and plasma formation in the gap. A method is provided for existing sputtering machines with the assembly, which accommodates different targets and processes.

1 . An adapter body comprising: 
 a cylindrical element comprising an outer flange, a ring portion, and inner shoulder, wherein the outer flange has an inner surface, a top surface coupled to the inner surface, an outside surface coupled to the top surface, and a bottom surface coupled to the outside surface, wherein the ring portion has an inner surface coupled to the top surface of the inner shoulder and an outer surface coupled to the bottom surface of the outer flange, and wherein the inner shoulder has an outer surface coupled to the outer surface of the ring portion, a bottom surface coupled to the inner surface and the outer surface, an inner surface coupled to the bottom surface, and a top surface coupled to the inside surface and to the inner surface of the ring portion.    
   
   
       2 . The adapter body of  claim 1  wherein the cylindrical element is fabricated from a single block of material.  
   
   
       3 . The adapter body of  claim 1  wherein the top surface of the outer flange comprises an annular groove.  
   
   
       4 . The adapter body of  claim 3  wherein the annular groove comprises at least one curved surface.  
   
   
       5 . The adapter body of  claim 1  wherein the outside surface comprises at least one flat surface and at least one curved surface.  
   
   
       6 . The adapter body of  claim 1  wherein outer flange comprises a plurality of through-holes.  
   
   
       7 . The adapter body of  claim 1  wherein the bottom surface of the outer flange comprises an annular groove.  
   
   
       8 . The adapter body of  claim 7  wherein the annular groove is a groove for an o-ring.  
   
   
       9 . The adapter body of  claim 1  wherein the top surface of the inner shoulder comprises an annular groove.  
   
   
       10 . The adapter body of  claim 9  wherein the annular groove is a groove for an o-ring.  
   
   
       11 . The adapter body of  claim 1  wherein the bottom surface of the inner shoulder comprises a plurality of holes in a radial pattern.  
   
   
       12 . The adapter body of  claim 1  wherein the outer flange comprises an outside diameter of at least approximately 14.50 inches.  
   
   
       13 . The adapter body of  claim 1  wherein the cylindrical element comprises a height extending from the bottom surface of the outer flange to the top surface of the inner shoulder, the height being approximately equal to a height selected from the group consisting essentially of 0.68, 1.18 and 1.48 inches.  
   
   
       14 . An insulator comprising: 
 an annular ring element having a body portion, a top ring portion, and a bottom ring portion;    the body portion having an inner surface, a top surface coupled to the inner surface, a bottom surface coupled to the inner surface, and an outside surface;    the top ring portion having an inner surface coupled to the top surface of the body portion, an outer surface coupled to the outer surface of the body portion, and a top surface coupled to the inner surface and the outer surface of the top ring; and    the bottom ring portion having an outer surface coupled to the outer surface of the body portion, a bottom surface coupled to the outer surface, and an inside surface coupled to the bottom surface of the body portion.    
   
   
       15 . The insulator of  claim 14  wherein the annular ring element comprises TEFLON material produced in accordance with ASTM D3294-97.  
   
   
       16 . The insulator of  claim 15  wherein the material comprises TEFLON PTFE.  
   
   
       17 . The insulator of  claim 16  wherein the material comprises at least one of TEFLON PTFE grade 7A and TEFLON PTFE grade 8 from the Dupont Corp.  
   
   
       18 . The insulator of  claim 14  wherein the bottom surface of the body portion comprises an annular groove.  
   
   
       19 . The insulator of  claim 18  wherein the annular groove is a groove for an o-ring.  
   
   
       20 . The insulator of  claim 14  wherein the top ring portion comprises an outside diameter of approximately 11.12 inches.  
   
   
       21 . The insulator of  claim 14  wherein the top ring portion comprises an inside diameter of approximately 10.92 inches.  
   
   
       22 . The insulator of  claim 14  wherein: 
 the top ring portion has an inside diameter of at least approximately 10.932 inches and an outside diameter of at most approximately 11.12 inches and a height  774  of approximately 0.29 inches;    the body portion has an inside diameter of at least approximately 10.32 inches and an outside diameter of at most approximately 11.12 inches and a height  773  of approximately 0.16 inches; and    the bottom ring has an inside diameter of at least approximately 10.46 inches and an outside diameter of at most approximately 11.12 inches.    
   
   
       23 . The insulator of  claim 14  wherein: 
 the top ring portion has an inside diameter of at least approximately 10.932 inches and an outside diameter of at most approximately 11.12 inches and a height  774  of approximately 0.35 inches;    the body portion has an inside diameter of at least approximately 10.32 inches and an outside diameter of at most approximately 11.12 inches and a height  773  of approximately 0.17 inches; and    the bottom ring has an inside diameter of at least approximately 10.46 inches and an outside diameter of at most approximately 11.12 inches.    
   
   
       24 . The insulator of  claim 14  wherein: 
 the top ring portion has an inside diameter of at least approximately 12.55 inches and an outside diameter of at most approximately 12.74 inches and a height of approximately 0.25 inches;    the body portion has an inside diameter of at least approximately 11.94 inches and an outside diameter of at most approximately 12.74 inches and a height of approximately 0.125 inches; and    the bottom ring has an inside diameter of at least approximately 11.94 inches and an outside diameter  1378  of at most approximately 12.11 inches.    
   
   
       25 . The insulator of  claim 14  wherein: 
 the top ring portion has an inside diameter of at least approximately 12.55 inches and an outside diameter of at most approximately 12.74 inches and a height of approximately 0.185 inches;    the body portion has an inside diameter of at least approximately 11.94 inches and an outside diameter of at most approximately 12.74 inches and a height of approximately 0.14 inches; and    the bottom ring has an inside diameter of at least approximately 11.94 inches and an outside diameter  1378  of at most approximately 12.11 inches.    
   
   
       26 . A dark space shield comprising: 
 a cylindrical element having a body portion and a top ring portion;    the body portion having an outer surface, a bottom surface coupled to the outer surface by a first shaped surface, an inner surface coupled to the bottom surface, and a top surface coupled to the outer surface; and    the top ring portion having an outer surface coupled to the top surface of the body portion, a top surface coupled to the outer surface, an inner surface coupled to the top surface and to the inner surface of the body portion.    
   
   
       27 . The dark space shield of  claim 26  wherein the cylindrical element is fabricated from a single block of material.  
   
   
       28 . The dark space shield of  claim 26  wherein the body portion comprises a plurality of through-holes.  
   
   
       29 . The dark space shield of  claim 26  wherein the top ring portion comprises an outside diameter, wherein the outside diameter comprises at least 10.4 inches.  
   
   
       30 . The dark space shield of  claim 26  wherein the top ring portion comprises an inside diameter of at least approximately 10.1 inches.  
   
   
       31 . The dark space shield of  claim 26  wherein the top ring portion has an inside diameter of 11.749+/−0.005 inches.  
   
   
       32 . The dark space shield of  claim 26  wherein the top ring portion has an inside diameter of 11.725+/−0.005 inches.  
   
   
       33 . The dark space shield of  claim 26  wherein the top ring portion has an inside diameter of 10.124+/−0.005 inches.  
   
   
       34 . The dark space shield of  claim 26  wherein the top ring portion has an inside diameter of 10.100+/−0.005 inches.  
   
   
       35 . The dark space shield of  claim 26  wherein: 
 the top ring has an inside diameter of approximately 10.10 inches and an outside diameter of approximately 10.405 inches and a height of approximately 0.505 inches; and    the body portion has an inside diameter of approximately 10.10 inches and an outside diameter of at most approximately 12.08 inches and a height of approximately 0.244 inches.    
   
   
       36 . The dark space shield of  claim 26  wherein: 
 the top ring has an inside diameter of approximately 10.10 inches and an outside diameter of approximately 10.405 inches and a height of approximately 0.505 inches; and    the body portion has an inside diameter of approximately 10.10 inches and an outside diameter of at most approximately 12.08 inches and a height of approximately 0.244 inches, the body portion having holes therein, angularly spaced at approximately 45 degrees, located on a circle having a diameter of approximately 11.50 inches.    
   
   
       37 . The dark space shield of  claim 26  wherein: 
 the top ring has an inside diameter of approximately 10.12 inches and an outside diameter of approximately 10.405 inches and a height of approximately 0.305 inches; and    the body portion has an inside diameter of approximately 10.12 inches and an outside diameter of at most approximately 12.08 inches and a height of approximately 0.244 inches.    
   
   
       38 . The dark space shield of  claim 26  wherein: 
 the top ring has an inside diameter of approximately 10.12 inches and an outside diameter of approximately 10.405 inches and a height of approximately 0.305 inches;    the body portion has an inside diameter of approximately 10.12 inches and an outside diameter of at most approximately 12.08 inches and a height of approximately 0.244 inches, the body portion having holes therein, angularly spaced at approximately 45 degrees, located on a circle having a diameter of approximately 11.50 inches.    
   
   
       39 . The dark space shield of  claim 26  wherein: 
 the top ring has an inside diameter of approximately 11.72 inches and an outside diameter of approximately 12.11 inches and a height of approximately 0.55 inches; and    the body portion has an inside diameter of approximately 11.72 inches and an outside diameter of at most approximately 13.00 inches and a height of approximately 0.245 inches.    
   
   
       40 . The dark space shield of  claim 26  wherein: 
 the top ring has an inside diameter of approximately 11.72 inches and an outside diameter of approximately 12.11 inches and a height of approximately 0.55 inches; and    the body portion has an inside diameter of approximately 11.72 inches and an outside diameter of at most approximately 13.00 inches and a height of approximately 0.245 inches, the body portion having holes therein, angularly spaced at approximately 45 degrees, located on a circle having a diameter of approximately 12.50 inches.    
   
   
       41 . The dark space shield of  claim 26  wherein: 
 the top ring has an inside diameter of approximately 11.74 inches and an outside diameter of approximately 12.11 inches and a height of approximately 0.475 inches; and    the body portion has an inside diameter of approximately 11.74 inches and an outside diameter of at most approximately 12.99 inches and a height of approximately 0.245 inches.    
   
   
       42 . An adapter shield comprising: 
 a body portion having rounded edges and rounded corners;    a top ring having a plurality of four through-holes at 90 degree intervals on a circle of diameter of approximately 12.563 inches, an outside diameter of approximately 12.98 inches and an inside diameter of at least approximately 12.2 inches;    a bottom ring having an outside diameter of approximately 12.14 inches and an inside diameter of at least approximately 10.85 inches; and    the body portion extending from the outside diameter of the bottom ring to the inside diameter of the top ring and having an axial height selected from the group consisting of approximately 0.53 inches, approximately 1.03 inches, and approximately 1.33 inches.