Patent ID: 9150957
Filing Date: 2015-10-06
Classification: C22C,C22F,C23C

Abstract:
1. A method of making a sputter target from Ta metal or alloy of Ta metal comprising the steps of: a) e-beam melting said Ta metal or alloy of Ta metal to provide an ingot, then remelting said ingot in a vacuum arc furnace (VAR) to provide a VAR ingot; b) tri-axially forging said VAR ingot, said VAR ingot having a centerline (CL) defining a central axis of said VAR ingot, said CL being maintained in the center of said ingot during said tri-axial forging wherein at least a portion of said triaxial forging is conducted under heated conditions of about 800° C., performing said tri-axial forging a plurality of times; c) vacuum annealing said VAR ingot after each tri-axial forging; d) clock rolling said VAR ingot while said CL is maintained in the center of said ingot and perpendicular to compression forces used during said clock rolling; e) vacuum annealing said VAR ingot after said clock rolling; and f) imparting a desired shape to said VAR ingot to form said sputter target, whereby a Ta sputter target is formed having a thickness dimension and a grain size of from about 50 to 100 microns and a mixed {100}-{111} texture with a 50% or higher % {111} gradient throughout a mid-fraction of said thickness dimension.