Patent ID: 7674360
Filing Date: 2010-03-09
Classification: C23C,H01J

Abstract:
1. In a magnetron sputter reactor including a chamber sealable to a sputtering target, a support within said chamber for holding a substrate to be processed, a magnet assembly placeable on a backside of said target opposite said support, a rotary drive shaft supporting and rotating said magnet assembly, a lift mechanism affixed to a support member of said magnet assembly and capable of varying a distance of said magnet assembly from said backside of said target, said lift mechanism comprising: a rotating lead nut and axially fixed with respect to said chamber; and a rotationally fixed lead screw engaged with said lead nut and axially fixed to said support member of said magnet assembly, wherein said rotary drive shaft is rotatably supported on said lead screw and extends axially through an interior of the lead screw and wherein said lead nut is threadably engaged with said lead screw to allow the lead nut to rotate about the rotationally fixed lead screw.