Patent ID: 6423191
Filing Date: 2002-07-23
Classification: C23C,H01J

Abstract:
A method of depositing a coating onto a substrate by means of a sputtering process, wherein a glow discharge plasma is generated in a diode sputtering source between a cathode, provided with an outwardly facing surface constituting a target, and an anode, and wherein generation of said plasma results in ion bombardment of said target followed by ejection of target material and movement of said target material toward said substrate with subsequent formation of a coating deposited onto said substrate,said method comprising the steps of: i) introducing a substrate into a process chamber so as to expose a surface of said substrate to flux of the sputtered target material; ii) establishing a magnetic field within said chamber; iii) applying, to said cathode, electrical, power sufficient for establishing a glow discharge; iv) establishing, within said chamber, an atmosphere of ionizable fluid continuously fed thereinto and evacuated therefrom so as to establish a uniform working pressure within said chamber; and v) maintaining, between said anode and said cathode, a self-sustained glow discharge accompanied by generation of a plasma consisting of ions of an ionizable fluid for bombarding said target and emitting target material toward said substrate; wherein said diode sputtering source is a high voltage discharge diode source with an applied arbitrary, directed, stationary magnetic field and wherein said field is varied in such a manner that there is established a gradient of magnetic field strength directed from said anode to said target, and wherein the magnetic strength of said magnetic field within a first region situated adjacent to said anode exceeds a magnetic field strength within a second region situated adjacent to said target by at least 25%, and said second region has a configuration of a layer, said layer extending above and along said outwardly facing target surface, and wherein said magnetic field is configured so as to localize and shift said plasma away from said substrate.