Patent ID: 6309516
Filing Date: 2001-10-30
Classification: C23C,H01J

Abstract:
A method of sputter depositing a layer of a substantially uniform composition metal alloy on a deposition surface of a substrate, which method comprises the sequential steps of:(a) providing a first target including a planar sputtering surface having a first width and comprised of at least a first metal alloy including at least two metal component elements, each element providing different angular distributions of sputtered atoms;(b) providing a substrate having a planar deposition surface for receiving said sputtered atoms for deposition thereon of a layer of said first metal alloy, said deposition surface including opposed first and second edges defining a second width which is at least twice that of said first width of said sputtering surface; and(c) sputtering said first target while moving said deposition surface past said sputtering surface from said first edge thereof to said second edge thereof, and/or from said second edge thereof to said first edge thereof, to deposit said layer of first metal alloy thereon, whereby said deposition surface traverses all arrival angles of said sputtered atoms during its motion past said sputtering surface, thereby compensating for said different angular distributions of said sputtered atoms and substantially eliminating non-uniform deposition of said metal component elements of said first metal alloy; wherein:step (a) further comprises providing said first target within a process chamber, said first target being located immediately adjacent an entrance/exit aperture thereof for inserting and withdrawing said substrate from said process chamber;step (b) further comprises inserting said substrate into said process chamber via said entrance/exit aperture; andstep (c) comprises sputtering at least a first portion of said sputtering surface of said first target to deposit a layer of said first metal alloy on said substrate surface during said inserting of said substrate into said process chamber.