Patent ID: 7141145

Claim:
A sputter deposition apparatus, comprising: (a) a chamber defining an interior space adapted to be maintained at a reduced pressure; (b) at least one sputtering source in said chamber; (c) mounting means for positioning a substrate/workpiece in said chamber for receipt of a sputtered particle flux from said at least one sputtering source; and (d) at least one gas supply means for injecting a gas into said chamber, said at least one gas supply means extending into said chamber and comprising a plurality of differently-sized outlet orifices adapted for providing substantially the same flow rate of gas from each orifice, wherein said gas supply means comprises an inlet portion and an outlet portion including said plurality of differently-sized outlet orifices, the size of said outlet orifices progressively increasing with distance from said inlet portion, and said gas supply means is wishbone-shaped and comprises a linearly elongated, tubular inlet portion having first and second ends, a pair of arcuately shaped, tubular outlet portions extending from said second end, the size of said outlet orifices of each of said arcuate outlet portions progressively increasing with distance from said second end of said inlet portion.