Patent ID: 7964247

Claim:
A process for the manufacture of a sputtering target comprising: i) providing a temporary substrate having a coating-receiving surface, wherein said temporary substrate is made of substrate material selected from the group consisting of a refractory metal, a ceramic, and a carbon-based composite material; ii) plasma melting in-flight of a target material selected to form the sputtering target in powder form, yielding droplets of molten target material; iii) deposition of said droplets onto said coating-receiving surface of said temporary substrate, yielding a sputtering target comprised of a coated layer of said target material on said coating-receiving surface of said temporary substrate; iv) joining said temporary substrate via said coated layer to a permanent target backing material; and v) removing said temporary substrate, yielding a sputtering target comprised of said coated layer of said target material on said permanent target backing material.