High power pulse ionized physical vapor deposition

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for high-deposition sputtering are described. A sputtering source includes an anode and a cathode assembly that is positioned adjacent to the anode. The cathode assembly includes a sputtering target. An ionization source generates a weakly-ionized plasma proximate to the anode and the cathode assembly. A power supply produces an electric field between the anode and the cathode assembly that creates a strongly-Ionized plasma from the weakly-ionized plasma. The strongly-ionized plasma includes a first plurality of ions that impact the sputtering target to generate sufficient thermal energy in the sputtering target to cause a sputtering yield of the sputtering target to be non-linearly related to a temperature of the sputtering target.

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A method of magnetron sputtering, the method comprising:
 a) supplying feed gas to a vacuum chamber comprising a magnetron and substrate holder, the magnetron comprising a rotating magnet assembly, an anode, and sputtering target cathode;   b) generating an unbalanced magnetic field with the rotating magnet assembly;   c) generating a negative voltage pulse having a pulse voltage rise time and duration between the anode and the sputtering target cathode, the negative pulse having a high voltage level portion and a low voltage level portion, the negative voltage pulse low voltage level portion creating a weakly-ionized plasma and the high voltage level portion creating a strongly-ionized plasma from the weakly-ionized plasma during a duration of the negative voltage pulse while providing suppression breakdown conditions between the anode and the cathode assembly by controlling the high voltage level portion rise time and duration;   d) positioning an additional magnet assembly to direct sputtered target material to the substrate during the pulse; and   e) applying an RF bias voltage to the substrate holder, thereby attracting sputtered target material ions to the substrate.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising adjusting an amplitude and duration of the high voltage level portion of the negative voltage pulse to increase a density of ions from sputtered target material atoms in the strongly ionized plasma while bombarding the sputtering target with ions to generate sufficient thermal energy in the sputtering target to cause a sputtering yield to be non-linearly related to a temperature of the sputtering target during the negative voltage pulse, thereby increasing a deposition rate of the target material on the substrate during the negative voltage pulse. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising adjusting a repetition rate of the voltage pulse to control a deposition rate of a film on a substrate. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the strongly ionized plasma at least partially converts neutral sputtered atoms into positive ions in order to enhance sputtering with ionized physical vapor deposition. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the amplitude of the voltage pulse is in the range of about 1V to 25 kV. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the strongly ionized plasma corresponded to a power that is in the range of about 1 kW to 10 MW. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising rotating a magnetron positioned proximate to the substrate. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 31  wherein a magnetic field generated by the magnet is in a range of about 50 G to 2000 G. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising directing different types of sputtered target material to the substrate. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the substrate comprises a semiconductor wafer. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40  further comprising adjusting a frequency of the voltage pulse to control a density of strongly ionized plasma.