Patent ID: 6582641
Filing Date: 2003-06-24
Classification: C04B,C23C,Y10S

Abstract:
Apparatus for making metal oxide sputtering targets, comprising:a graphite die assembly, including a graphite ring and a pair of opposing graphite punches, defining a die cavity for hot-pressing a powdered metal oxide target starting material which includes an indium oxide and tin oxide into a metal oxide sputtering target; and a barrier sleeve lining said graphite die assembly die cavity and providing a barrier between said graphite die assembly and the powdered metal oxide target starting material, said barrier sleeve being made of a material selected from the group consisting of Al2O3, MgO, ZrO2, SiC and Si3N4, and being capable of withstanding hot-pressing at a temperature of at least 1100Â° C.; whereby said barrier sleeve substantially prevents a reducing gas from penetrating to the powdered metal oxide target starting material, said barrier sleeve being substantially unreactive with the powdered target starting material during hot pressing, and said powdered target starting material being volatile and thermally unstable during hot pressing.