Patent ID: 6379508
Filing Date: 2002-04-30
Classification: C23C

Abstract:
A method for forming films on substrates comprising the steps of:performing idling discharge for reactive sputtering with introduction of sputtering gas composed of a plurality of gases and application of discharge power in a sputtering chamber until a pressure of a product produced from the plurality of gases in the sputtering gas by the idling discharge becomes substantially constant; and forming films on substrates in the sputtering chamber by the reactive sputtering while introducing the substrates to be treated into the sputtering chamber and removing the substrates from the sputtering chamber, one at a time, sequentially wherein the idling discharge is performed sequentially at divided periods including a first period, a second period, and a third period, during at least a part of a period in the step of performing idling discharge, the discharge power is not more than a discharge power at which the films are formed on the substrates, a discharge power for the first and third periods is higher than a discharge power at which films are formed by reactive sputtering, and a discharge power for the second period is not more than the discharge power at which films are formed by reactive sputtering.