Patent ID: 8658001

Claim:
A method for depositing a layer to a deposition thickness substantially equal to a reference deposition thickness d r in a sputter-deposition system having a target cathode connected to a power supply, comprising ordered steps of: a) providing to a controller a first parameter A, a second parameter B, and a third parameter C, selected from a group of operating parameters of the target cathode consisting of cathode voltage, cathode current, and cathode power, such that the first parameter A, the second parameter B, and the third parameter C are different operating parameters of the target cathode, by means of an interface; b) providing to the controller a reference value of the second parameter B r , and a first dependence relationship r(A,C) of a deposition rate r of the layer on the first parameter A and the third parameter C of the form r(A,C)=kA x C y , wherein k is a reference constant, x is a first dependence exponent, and y is a second dependence exponent, wherein the reference constant k is not equal to 0, and wherein the first dependence exponent x is not equal to 0, by means of the interface; c) controlling the power supply to start deposition of the layer, by means of the controller; d) controlling the power supply to hold the second parameter B substantially constant at the reference value of the second parameter B r during deposition of the layer, by means of the controller, while allowing the first parameter A and the third parameter C to drift over time t, so that the deposition rate r is also allowed to drift over time t; e) monitoring the power supply to continually measure a second dependence relationship A(t) of the first parameter A on time t during deposition of the layer, by means of the controller; f) continually determining whether a deposition time t d for the layer, at which the layer has a deposition thickness substantially equal to the reference deposition thickness d r , has been reached by performing an integration over time t of the first dependence relationship r(A,C) using the second dependence relationship A(t) as the second dependence relationship A(t) is measured during deposition of the layer, by means of the controller; and g) controlling the power supply to stop deposition of the layer once the deposition time t d has been reached, by means of the controller.