Patent ID: 8273221

Claim:
A sputtering apparatus comprising: a magnetic assembly with an outer magnet frame surrounding a central magnetic arrangement, said outer magnet frame including first and second longitudinally extending magnetic lateral members located on either side of the central magnetic arrangement, and first and second magnetic end members located at and defining opposite longitudinal ends of said frame; a rectangular sputter target disposed over said magnetic assembly during operation, said sputter target having a central region, first and second longitudinal end regions, and a long axis, said magnetic assembly being effective to generate a magnetic field above the sputter target, with said central magnetic arrangement of the magnetic assembly being movable with respect to said outer magnet frame and being effective to produce a non-static modulation in said magnetic field above said central region of said target; said first and second magnetic end members being movable perpendicular to the long axis of the target in at least a first direction relative to said first and second longitudinally extending lateral members and being effective to produce a nonstatic modulation in said magnetic field above said first longitudinal end region of said target.