Patent ID: 6605198
Filing Date: 2003-08-12
Classification: C23C,H01J

Abstract:
An apparatus for providing a deposition on a planar substrate, including,a planar anode disposed in displaced and substantially parallel relationship to the substrate, a target spaced from the anode to serve as a cathode, the target having properties of emitting sputtered atoms when bombarded by gaseous ions and of directing the sputtered atoms to the substrate, the target having a hollow substantially frusto-conical configuration with an axis substantially perpendicular to the anode and the substrate, first means for defining a cavity between the anode and the target for receiving atoms of an inert gas, means for introducing the inert gas into the cavity, second means for applying a positive voltage to the anode and a negative voltage to the target relative to the positive voltage on the anode to establish a flow of electrons from the target toward the anode and a glow discharge between the target and the anode to ionize atoms of the inert gas in the cavity, and third means disposed relative to the anode and the target for providing a movement of the electrons between the target and the anode through other than a straight line path to enhance the ionization of the atoms of the inert gas and the emission of the sputtered atoms from the target for movement toward the substrate, the third means being at a potential lower than the positive voltage on the anode, the voltage between the anode and the target having a magnitude, and the positive voltage on the anode having a magnitude, to obtain depositions of the sputtered atoms from the target on the substrate with particular characteristics dependent upon the magnitude of the anode voltage and the difference between the anode voltage and the target voltage, the anode, the gas-introducing means, the first means, the second means and the third means being disposed relative to the target and the substrate to provide for the flow of the sputtered atoms from the target to the substrate without any obstruction, there being in the substrate a groove defined by walls, and a shield disposed between the anode and the substrate without obstructing the flow of sputtered atoms from the target to the substrate and operative at a potential less than the positive voltage on the anode to receive charged particles moving toward the substrate, there being a positive voltage on the anode with a magnitude, and there being a voltage difference between the anode and the target with a magnitude, to obtain a deposition on the substrate of the material of the target to fill the groove and to provide a deposition with a substantially smooth surface of the deposition on the substrate at the positions of the groove and at the positions removed from the groove.