Sputtering Target

Abstract

The present invention provides a sputtering target comprising aluminum and one or more alloying elements including Ni, Co, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Mo, Nb, Ta, W, and rare earth metals (REM). The addition of very small amounts of alloying element to pure aluminum and aluminum alloy target improves the uniformity of the deposited wiring films through affecting the target's recrystallization process. The range of alloying element content is 0.01 to 100 ppm and preferably in the range of 0.1 to 50 ppm and more preferably from 0.1 to 10 ppm weight which is sufficient to prevent dynamic recrystallization of pure aluminum and aluminum alloys, such as 30 ppm Si alloy. The addition of small amount of alloying elements increases the thermal stability and electromigration resistance of pure aluminum and aluminum alloys thin films while sustaining their low electrical resistivity and good etchability. This invention also provides a method of manufacturing microalloyed aluminum and aluminum alloy sputtering target.

1 . A sputtering target for use in semiconductor integrated circuit devices, flat panel displays, and other applications made of aluminum and one or more of other elements or aluminum alloy and one or more of secondary elements. 
   
   
       2 . The sputtering target of  claim 1  wherein the one or more other elements or secondary elements including but not limited to Ni, Co, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Mo, Nb, Ta, W, and rare earth metals (REM). 
   
   
       3 . The sputtering target of  claim 1  wherein the one or more of other elements or secondary elements being present in the aluminum or its alloy at a total concentration ranging from 0.01 ppm˜100 ppm weight and preferably in the range of 0.1 ppm to 10 ppm. 
   
   
       4 . The sputtering target of  claim 1  wherein adding one or more of other elements or secondary elements including Ni or Nd to aluminum or its alloy improves the thickness uniformity of the deposited films. 
   
   
       5 . The sputtering target of  claim 1  comprising aluminum or aluminum alloy and 0.01 ppm˜10 ppm Ni wherein the thickness nonuniformity of the deposited films decreases with increasing the content of Ni alloyed in the target. 
   
   
       6 . The sputtering target of  claim 1  wherein the addition of one or more other elements or secondary elements including Ni suppresses the dynamic recrystallization of hot worked aluminum or its alloy and improves the static recrystallization of cold worked aluminum or its alloy. 
   
   
       7 . The sputtering target of  claim 1  wherein the addition of a small amount of other elements or secondary elements including Ni does not increase the resistivity of the aluminum or its alloy. 
   
   
       8 . The sputtering target of  claim 1  wherein the deposited films attain good etchability. 
   
   
       9 . The sputtering target of  claim 1  wherein the addition of one or more of other elements or secondary elements including Ni increases the thermal stability, electromigration resistance, and hillock resistance of the deposited films. 
   
   
       10 . A method of manufacturing an aluminum or its alloy sputtering target comprising:
 providing an Al material with a purity of at least 99.999 wt %;   providing a Ni material with a purity of at least 99.95 wt %;   providing a Co material with a purity of at least 99.95 wt %;   providing a Ti material with a purity of at least 99.995 wt %;   providing a V material with a purity of at least 99.5 wt %;   providing a Cr material with a purity of at least 99.95 wt %;   providing a Mn material with a purity of at least 99.9 wt %;   providing a Mo material with a purity of at least 99.95 wt %;   providing a Nb material with a purity of at least 99.95 wt %;   providing a Ta material with a purity of at least 99.95 wt %;   providing a W material with a purity of at least 99.95 wt %;   providing a Nd material with a purity of at least 99 wt %;   The aluminum, or aluminum and its primary alloying elements including Si and Cu, and one or more of other elements melting together to form a molten aluminum alloy; and cooling and casting the molten alloy to form an aluminum alloy ingot.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the aluminum or its alloy comprising from 0.01 ppm to 100 ppm one or more of other elements or secondary elements including Ni, Co, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Mo, Nb, Ta, W, and rare earth metals (REM). 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising the aluminum alloy ingot materials subjected to a thermomechanical process to attain desirable grain structure. 
   
   
       13 . The thermomechanical process of  claim 12  comprising hot or cold press, hot roll, cold roll, hot or cold forge, extrusion and anneals.