Patent ID: 8764949
Filing Date: 2014-07-01
Classification: C23C,H01J

Abstract:
1. A method of scanning a magnetron in back of a planar target in a plasma sputter chamber, comprising the steps of: applying power to the planar target to excite a plasma within the chamber and sputter from the planar target; during sputtering, scanning the magnetron about a central axis of the chamber along a selected path having radial and azimuthal components with respect to the central axis; calculating an erosion profile produced by the sputtering from operational parameters comprising radial positions used during the scanning; the calculating comprising updating energy bins arranged according to radial positions of the magnetron from the central axis during the scanning, wherein the updating includes incrementing the energy bins by a product of target power and a time the magnetron was disposed at the radial positions of the energy bins; and removing the planar target from service when the calculated erosion profile indicates a predetermined limit of erosion of the planar target.