阅读说明：本技术 溅射靶材及其使用方法 (Sputtering target material and use method thereof ) 是由 杨清河 吴智稳 翁基祥 苏梦鹏 于 2019-03-12 设计创作，主要内容包括：溅射靶材及其使用方法。溅射靶材包括背板、溅射板与保护单元。背板具有上表面。溅射板设置在上表面上,并具有一溅射板边缘。保护单元设置在上表面上,并相邻溅射板边缘。本发明技术方案通过保护单元、中间保护单元共同防止背板在溅射工艺中被溅射消耗而损坏的问题产生,以进一步延长背板的使用寿命,因此可降低制造成本,且更换保护单元等的方法简单、快速,可提升工艺效率。(Sputtering target material and its use method. The sputtering target comprises a back plate, a sputtering plate and a protection unit. The back plate has an upper surface. The sputtering plate is disposed on the upper surface and has a sputtering plate edge. The protection unit is arranged on the upper surface and adjacent to the edge of the sputtering plate. According to the technical scheme, the protection unit and the middle protection unit are used for preventing the backboard from being damaged due to sputtering consumption in the sputtering process, so that the service life of the backboard is further prolonged, the manufacturing cost can be reduced, the method for replacing the protection unit and the like is simple and rapid, and the process efficiency can be improved.)

1. A sputtering target, comprising:

a back plate having an upper surface;

a sputtering plate disposed on the upper surface and having a sputtering plate edge;

a protection unit disposed on the upper surface and adjacent to the edge of the sputtering plate.

2. The sputtering target according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface has at least one recess, and the protective unit is removably disposed in the at least one recess.

3. The sputtering target according to claim 2, wherein the backing plate has two of the recesses, the two recesses being disposed on the upper surface of the backing plate in a spaced apart manner, the two recesses corresponding to opposite sides of the sputtering plate, respectively, both recesses being provided with the protection unit.

4. The sputter target of claim 1, wherein the material of the sputtering plate is a metal or an oxide, or the material of the backing plate is a metal.

5. The sputtering target according to claim 1, wherein the protective unit satisfies at least one structural feature selected from the following (1) to (10):

(1) the protection unit is made of metal;

(2) the height of the protection unit is between 0.1mm and 4 mm;

(3) the width of the protection unit is between 90mm and 190 mm;

(4) the length of the protection unit is between 90mm and 3000 mm;

(5) the width of the protection unit is not less than the width of the sputtering plate and not more than the width of the back plate;

(6) the length of the protection unit is not more than that of the back plate;

(7) the height of the protection unit accounts for 0.5 to 20 percent of the height of the back plate;

(8) the width of the protection unit accounts for 47 to 100 percent of the width of the back plate;

(9) the length of the protection unit accounts for 3 to 100 percent of the length of the back plate;

(10) the protection unit has a protection part side surface, and the sputtering plate has a sputtering side surface which is mutually faced or directly contacted with the protection part side surface and has a complementary shape.

6. The sputtering target according to claim 1, wherein the protective unit comprises a first protective portion and a second protective portion, and the first protective portion or the second protective portion satisfies at least one structural feature selected from the following (1) to (3):

(1) the first protection part is exposed out of the sputtering plate, and the second protection part is loaded with the sputtering plate and is overlapped with the sputtering plate;

(2) the first protection part is connected with the second protection part;

(3) the first protection part is provided with a convex part which protrudes out of the back plate and is parallel to the sputtering plate, or the height of the convex part is lower than that of the sputtering plate.

7. The sputtering target of claim 1 further comprising a fastener for securing said protective unit to said backing plate, wherein said fastener comprises a screw, a plug, or an adhesive.

8. The sputtering target according to claim 1, further comprising an intermediate protection unit, wherein the intermediate protection unit comprises a first protection portion and a second protection portion, and the intermediate protection unit satisfies at least one structural feature selected from the following (1) to (7):

(1) the middle protection unit is arranged between the two protection units;

(2) the first protection part is exposed out of the sputtering plate, and the second protection part is loaded with the sputtering plate and is overlapped with the sputtering plate;

(3) the first protection part is connected with the second protection part;

(4) the first protection part is provided with a convex part which protrudes out of the back plate and is parallel to the sputtering plate, or the height of the convex part is lower than that of the sputtering plate;

(5) the width of the second protection part is equal to or slightly larger than that of the sputtering plate;

(6) the length of the middle protection unit accounts for 3 to 100 percent of the length of the back plate;

(7) the middle protection unit is detachably arranged on the back plate.

9. A method of using a sputtering target comprising providing a sputtering target according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the protective unit is removably disposed on the backing plate.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising removing said protective unit from said backing plate after said protective unit is consumed by sputtering.

Technical Field

The invention relates to a sputtering target and a using method thereof.

Background

Currently, sputtering is one of the main deposition methods. The sputtering technique generally forms plasma in a sputtering chamber, the plasma (plasma) performs ion bombardment (ion bombardment) on a metal target to collide metal atoms of the target, so as to form gas molecules which are emitted onto a substrate to be deposited, and the gas molecules are subjected to sputtering actions such as adhesion, adsorption, surface migration, nucleation and the like, so as to finally form a metal film with the metal atoms on the substrate. Sputtering technology is widely used in the fields of industrial production and scientific research. However, when a sputtering target is used in a sputtering chamber for a sputtering process, the back plate is easily damaged by sputtering and has to be reworked, such as using sand paper to smooth and fill the recess.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention relates to a sputtering target and a using method thereof.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a sputtering target is provided, which includes a backing plate, a sputtering plate, and a protection unit. The back plate has an upper surface. The sputtering plate is disposed on the upper surface and has a sputtering plate edge. The protection unit is arranged on the upper surface and adjacent to the edge of the sputtering plate.

In one embodiment, the upper surface has at least one recess, and the protection unit is removably disposed in the at least one recess.

In one embodiment, the backing plate has two of the notches, the two notches are disposed on the upper surface of the backing plate in a spaced manner, the two notches respectively correspond to two opposite sides of the sputtering plate, and the two notches are provided with the protection units.

In one embodiment, the sputtering plate is made of metal or oxide, or the backing plate is made of metal.

In one embodiment, the protection unit satisfies at least one structural feature selected from the following (1) to (10):

(1) the protection unit is made of metal;

(2) the height of the protection unit is between 0.1mm and 4 mm;

(3) the width of the protection unit is between 90mm and 190 mm;

(4) the length of the protection unit is between 90mm and 3000 mm;

(5) the width of the protection unit is not less than the width of the sputtering plate and not more than the width of the back plate;

(6) the length of the protection unit is not more than that of the back plate;

(7) the height of the protection unit accounts for 0.5 to 20 percent of the height of the back plate;

(8) the width of the protection unit accounts for 47 to 100 percent of the width of the back plate;

(9) the length of the protection unit accounts for 3 to 100 percent of the length of the back plate;

(10) the protection unit has a protection part side surface, and the sputtering plate has a sputtering side surface which is mutually faced or directly contacted with the protection part side surface and has a complementary shape.

In one embodiment, the protection unit includes a first protection portion and a second protection portion, and the first protection portion or the second protection portion satisfies at least one structural feature selected from the following (1) to (3):

(1) the first protection part is exposed out of the sputtering plate, and the second protection part is loaded with the sputtering plate and is overlapped with the sputtering plate;

(2) the first protection part is connected with the second protection part;

(3) the first protection part is provided with a convex part which protrudes out of the back plate and is parallel to the sputtering plate, or the height of the convex part is lower than that of the sputtering plate.

In one embodiment, the protection device further comprises a fixing member for fixing the protection unit to the back plate, wherein the fixing member comprises a screw, a plug, or an adhesive.

In one embodiment, the apparatus further comprises an intermediate protection unit, wherein the intermediate protection unit comprises a first protection portion and a second protection portion, and the intermediate protection unit satisfies at least one structural feature selected from the following (1) to (7):

(1) the middle protection unit is arranged between the two protection units;

(2) the first protection part is exposed out of the sputtering plate, and the second protection part is loaded with the sputtering plate and is overlapped with the sputtering plate;

(3) the first protection part is connected with the second protection part;

(4) the first protection part is provided with a convex part which protrudes out of the back plate and is parallel to the sputtering plate, or the height of the convex part is lower than that of the sputtering plate;

(5) the width of the second protection part is equal to or slightly larger than that of the sputtering plate;

(6) the length of the middle protection unit accounts for 3 to 100 percent of the length of the back plate;

(7) the middle protection unit is detachably arranged on the back plate.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of using a sputtering target is presented, comprising the following steps. The sputtering target is provided, wherein the protection unit is detachably arranged on the back plate.

In one embodiment, the method further comprises removing the protection unit from the backing plate after the protection unit is consumed by sputtering.

The invention has the beneficial effects that:

according to the technical scheme, the protection unit and the middle protection unit are used for preventing the backboard from being damaged due to sputtering consumption in the sputtering process, so that the service life of the backboard is further prolonged, the manufacturing cost can be reduced, the method for replacing the protection unit and the like is simple and rapid, and the process efficiency can be improved.

Drawings

Fig. 1A to 1D illustrate a method of using a sputtering target according to the concept of the first embodiment.

Fig. 2A to 2C illustrate a method of using a sputtering target according to a second embodiment of the concept.

Fig. 3A to 3D illustrate a method of using a sputtering target according to a third embodiment of the concept.

Wherein, the reference numbers:

308. 408: back plate

308A, 408A: notch (S)

308S, 326S, 408S, 526S: upper surface of

118: sputtering plate

118E: edge of sputtering plate

118W: side surface of sputtering plate

118S: sputtering surface

320. 420, 520: sputtering target material

326. 426: protection unit

330. 430, 530: a first protection part

332. 532: second protective part

526: intermediate protection unit

540: protection part accommodating space

430U, 530U: convex part

430W: side surface of the protection part

W, W1, W2, W3: width of

L, L1, L2, L3: width of

H. H', H ", H1, H2, H3: height

Detailed Description

Some examples are described below. It should be noted that the present invention is not intended to show all possible embodiments, and other embodiments not suggested by the present invention may also be applicable. Moreover, the dimensional ratios in the drawings are not to scale with actual products. Accordingly, the description and drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. In addition, the descriptions of embodiments, such as details, processing steps, and materials, are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. The embodiment steps and the structural details may be changed and modified according to the actual application process requirements without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The following description will be given with the same/similar reference numerals as used for the same/similar elements.

Fig. 1A to 1D illustrate a method of using a sputtering target according to the concept of the first embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 1A, a back plate 308 is provided having at least one recess 308A, wherein the recess 308A is recessed from an upper surface 308S of the back plate 308. As shown in fig. 1A, two recesses 308A may be provided, and the two recesses 308A are separated from each other.

Referring to fig. 1B and fig. 1C, at least one protection unit 326 is disposed in the recess 308A of the back plate 308, and then the sputtering plate 118 is disposed on the upper surface 308S of the back plate 308 and the protection unit 326, in an embodiment, the edges 118E of the sputtering plate 118 at two opposite sides respectively correspond to and contact the protection unit 326 in the recess 308A. The size of the recess 308A may be substantially equal to or slightly larger than the size of the protection unit 326, and the width W1 (e.g., 90mm to 190mm) of the protection unit 326 should be determined according to the widths of the back plate 308 and the sputtering plate 118, based on the width W2 of the sputtering plate 118 not exceeding the width W of the back plate 308, such as 90mm for the width W2 of the sputtering plate 118 and not less than 90mm for the width W1 of the protection unit 326. In one embodiment, the width W2 of the sputtering plate 118 is about 180mm, the width W of the backing plate 308 is about 190mm, and the width W1 of the protection unit 326 is between 180mm and 190mm, so the width W1 of the protection unit 326 is about 47% to 100% of the width W of the backing plate. In one embodiment, the width W1 of the protection unit 326 is the same as the width W of the back plate 308.

The material of the sputtering plate 118 may depend on the material of the film to be deposited on the substrate, such as a metal or an oxide. The backing plate 308 and the sputtering plate 118 may be the same or different materials. In one embodiment, the material of the back plate 308 is aluminum, titanium or copper, and the material of the sputtering plate 118 is aluminum, titanium or copper, or indium tin oxide. In one embodiment, the backing plate 308 is copper and the sputtering plate 118 is aluminum.

The material of the protection unit 326 may be the same or different from the back plate 308. For example, the material of the protection unit 326 may include, but is not limited to, metal such as copper, titanium, aluminum, etc., or other suitable materials.

Referring to FIG. 1D, the length L of the protection unit 326 is about 90-150mm, and the length L1 of the back plate 308 is about 3000mm, so that the length L of the protection unit 326 is about 3% to 5% of the length L1 of the back plate 308; the height H of the protection unit 326 is about 0.1-4mm, such as 2mm, and the height H1 of the back plate 308 is about 10-20mm, such as 16mm, so that the height H of the protection unit 326 is about 0.5% to 20%, such as 12.5%, of the height H1 of the back plate 308, i.e. the protection unit 326 does not extend through the entire back plate 308 and does not contact the lower surface 308B of the back plate 308 not carrying the sputtering plate 118, wherein the lower surface 308B is parallel to and opposite to the upper surface 308S.

As shown, two protection units 326 may be separated from each other by the back plate 308. In one embodiment, the protection unit 326 may be fixed to the back plate 308 by a fixing member (not shown). Fasteners may include, but are not limited to, screws, plugs, adhesives (e.g., metal adhesives, soft solders, etc.), and the like. In this embodiment, the top surfaces 326S of the protection units 326 exposed out of the recesses 308A can be substantially aligned with the top surface 308S of the back plate 308. in this embodiment, the total area of the top surfaces 326S of the two protection units 326 exposed out of the recesses 308A accounts for about 3-10%, for example, 6%, of the total area of the top surface 308S of the back plate 308. The total volume of the two protection units 326 is about 0.5-3%, for example, 0.75%, of the total volume of the back plate 308.

Referring to fig. 1C and 1D, fig. 1D is a cross-sectional view taken along line EF shown in fig. 1C. Sputtering target 320 can be assembled by securing sputtering plate 118 to backing plate 308 using fasteners (not shown).

In one embodiment, the backing plate 308 comprises an upper backing plate and a lower backing plate (not shown), and the protection unit 326 and the sputtering bearing plate 118 are disposed on the upper backing plate.

In one embodiment, a cooling circuit or a magnetic material may be optionally disposed in the back plate 308.