Patent ID: 6416638
Filing Date: 2002-07-09
Classification: C23C,H01J

Abstract:
In a sputtering apparatus introducing an inert gas into a grounded vacuum chamber, applying a negative voltage to a sputtering source located in the vacuum chamber and effecting sputtering, a power supply device for the sputtering apparatus which is characterized by comprising:a DC current power supply for applying a DC voltage to the sputtering source; reverse voltage generating means for generating and applying a reverse voltage to the sputtering source so as to stop generation of an arc discharge in the sputtering; arc discharge detecting means for detecting the generation of the arc discharge in the vacuum chamber by detecting a voltage which exceeds a selected voltage on a line coupled to the sputtering source; and reverse voltage application control means for switching between the application of said DC voltage and the application of the reverse voltage to the sputtering source such that the reverse voltage is only switched to be applied if a voltage exceeding the selected voltage is detected by the arc discharge detecting means and switching to the application of said DC voltage has not occurred in an immediately preceding selected time period in a range of 1 to 10 &mgr;s.