Patent ID: 8500972

Claim:
A cylindrical target assembly for use in a rotatable cylindrical magnetron sputtering device, the assembly comprising: a hollow mandrel; a target portion mounted around and spaced away from the hollow mandrel wherein a space gap is defined between the hollow mandrel and the target portion and wherein the target portion has a first end and a second end; wherein the hollow mandrel and the target portion are cylindrical in shape; wherein the target portion is mounted around the hollow mandrel; wherein the target portion is retained for rotation with the hollow mandrel via a retaining assembly located at one end of the target portion; wherein the hollow mandrel comprises a first end with a reduced diameter portion and an enlarged diameter portion spaced therefrom thereby forming a shoulder therebetween, and wherein the target portion is mounted around the reduced diameter portion of the hollow mandrel such that a first end of the target portion abuts with the shoulder; and wherein the retaining assembly is comprised of a clamping member that slidably fits around an end of the hollow mandrel and wherein the retaining assembly comprises a spring that is axially urged against the other end of the target portion to exert a constant compressive axial biasing force along the entire length of the target portion, such that the second end of the target portion is resiliently forced against the shoulder of the hollow mandrel to secure the target portion upon the hollow mandrel.