Patent ID: 6375815
Filing Date: 2002-04-23
Classification: C23C,H01J

Abstract:
An apparatus for affixing a cylindrical magnetron target to a rotatable support spindle, said apparatus comprising:a support spindle structure including a target attachment flange, said target attachment flange having a rear face and front face which incorporates a circumferential groove into which an O-ring seal is inserted; a cylindrical target structure having a circumferential shoulder at a spindle attachment end thereof, said shoulder terminating in an inwardly-angled, overhanging circumferential step that faces away from said spindle attachment end; a clamping collar comprised of arcuate segments, which are collectively sized to generally and coaxially surround said cylindrical target structure, said clamping collar incorporating, both an inwardly-angled clamping ledge that engages the overhanging circumferential step of the cylindrical target structure and at least one internal, inwardly-angled, spiral, circumferential thread spaced apart from said inwardly-angled clamping ledge; and a retainer ring sized so as to be slidable over the support spindle structure, and rotatable against the rear face of the target attachment flange, said retainer ring incorporating external, spiral, circumferential threads that are angled away from the spindle flange, the external, spiral, circumferential threads of said retainer ring engaging the at least one internal, inwardly-angled, spiral, circumferential thread of said clamping collar to draw the inwardly-angled clamping ledge and engaged cylindrical target structure toward the target attachment flange as the retainer ring is rotated in a thread engaging direction.