Abstract: A film is sputter-deposited on an essentially plane, extended surface of a substrate which has recesses therein, namely at least one of grooves, of holes, of bores, of vias, of trenches. So as to establish on one hand a homogeneous thickness distribution of the film along the addressed surface of the substrate and, on the other hand, a thick film deposition within the recesses, sputter deposition is performed first at a large distance between a sputter surface of a target and the addressed surface of the substrate and then at a reduced distance between the addressed surfaces.

Abstract: A method of depositing a metallization structure (1) comprises depositing a TaN layer (4) by applying a power supply between an anode and a target in a plurality of pulses to reactively sputter Ta from the target onto the substrate (2) to form a TaN seed layer (4). A Ta layer (5) is deposited onto the TaN seed layer (4) by applying the power supply in a plurality of pulses and applying a high-frequency signal to a pedestal supporting the substrate (2) to generate a self-bias field adjacent to the substrate (2).

Abstract: Vias of at least approx. 1:1 aspect ratio in substrates are filled with material which exhibits a thermally driven amorphous/crystalline phase change. This is performed within a vacuum process chamber. During a first timespan the material is sputter-deposited by DC sputtering from a material target. In a subsequent timespan a void, which may remain in the via as material covered by the addressed sputtering, is opened by etching performed with the help of an inductively coupled plasma generated by an Rf driven electric coil and applying to the substrate with the via an Rf bias.

Abstract: An exhaust opening of a process chamber (12) contained in a vacuum chamber (11) is connected to an exhaust line (13) by a connector comprising a bellows (03) with one end which is connected to the exhaust line (13) fixed to a housing and its opposite end carrying a coupling tube (02) for connecting to a coupling ring (01) which surrounds the exhaust opening, the coupling tube (02) being elastically biased towards the same. The coupling tube (02) can be moved between a connected state where it is in contact with the coupling ring (01) and a disconnected state by an actuator reciprocatable in an axial direction perpendicular to the exhaust opening. To enable a gas-tight connection with the process chamber (12) the coupling tube (02) has lateral play such that it can align with the coupling ring (01) when a conical surface of the coupling tube (02) contacts a complementary conical surface on the coupling ring (01) in the connected state.