Abstract: Embodiments of process shield for use in process chambers are provided herein. In some embodiments, a process shield for use in a process chamber includes: an annular body having an upper portion and a lower portion extending downward and radially inward from the upper portion, wherein the upper portion includes a plurality of annular trenches on an upper surface thereof and having a plurality of slots disposed therebetween to fluidly couple the plurality of annular trenches, wherein one or more inlets extend from an outer surface of the annular body to an outermost trench of the plurality of annular trenches.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sputtering target comprising Ni, W and, optionally, one or more further metal(s) X selected from the group of the refractory metals, Sn, Al and Si, which has a normalized peak intensity ratio PIR=INi/IW·(AW+Ax)/ANi of 0.40 or greater, wherein INi is the intensity of the (111) peak of Ni, IW is the intensity of the (110) peak of W, Aw is the fraction of W in the target in atom %, Ax is the total fraction of the one or more further metals selected from the group of the refractory metals, Sn, Al and Si in the target in atom %, ANi is the fraction of Ni in the target in atom %, and wherein the intensities of the peaks are determined by X-ray powder diffraction using Cu-Kalpha radiation.

Abstract: Objects of the present invention consist in achievement of both of elongation of life of a sputtering target as well as uniformity of a thickness of a resulting thin coating layer formed on a substrate during the period. The present invention provides a sputtering target comprising a target material, which is characterized in that the target material has a sputtering surface having a first area placed at the center, which is circular and flat; and a second area placed outside of the first area and concentrically with the first area, which has a ring shape, wherein the first area is positioned at a location lower than that of the second area by 15% of thickness of the second area at most, and the first area has a diameter which is ranging from 60% to 80% of a circumferential diameter of the sputtering surface.

Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus for and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. The apparatus includes a chamber, an evaporator that evaporates an organic source to provide a source gas on a substrate in the chamber, a vacuum pump that pumps the source gas and air from the chamber, an exhaust line between the vacuum pump and the chamber, and an analyzer connected to the exhaust line. The analyzer detects a derived molecule produced from the organic source and determines a replacement time of the evaporator.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to a planar sputtering target. In particular, the present disclosure provides a planar sputtering target comprising a planar sputtering surface and a back surface opposite the planar sputtering surface. The planar sputtering target is formed from a 2N purity tin having an average grain size from at least 10 mm to at most 100 mm. The present disclosure provides a method of manufacturing the tin planar sputtering target having an average grain size from at least 10 mm to at most 100 mm.

Abstract: A film forming apparatus includes a base material support mechanism configured to rotate a base material supported by the base material support mechanism about a first axis, and a first cathode portion on which a target in a cylindrical shape containing a film forming material is mounted and configured to rotate the target about a second axis, in a chamber. The second axis is disposed at a position skewed with respect to the first axis.

Abstract: An ion source with an insertable target holder for holding a solid dopant material is disclosed. The insertable target holder includes a pocket or cavity into which the solid dopant material is disposed. When the solid dopant material melts, it remains contained within the pocket, thus not damaging or degrading the arc chamber. Additionally, the target holder can be moved from one or more positions where the pocket is at least partially in the arc chamber to one or more positions where the pocket is entirely outside the arc chamber. In certain embodiments, a sleeve may be used to cover at least a portion of the open top of the pocket.

Abstract: Sputtering systems and methods are provided. In an embodiment, a sputtering system includes a chamber configured to receive a substrate, a sputtering target positioned within the chamber, and an electromagnet array over the sputtering target. The electromagnet array includes a plurality of electromagnets.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a system includes: a chamber; and a magnetic assembly contained within the chamber. The magnetic assembly comprises: an inner magnetic portion comprising first magnets; and an outer magnetic portion comprising second magnets. At least two adjacent magnets, of either the first magnets or the second magnets, have different vertical displacements, and the magnetic assembly is configured to rotate around an axis to generate an electromagnetic field that moves ions toward a target region within the chamber.

Abstract: A method of making a sputtering target in which an atomized powder including, in at. %, 10 to 50% of B, 0 to 20% in total of one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Re, Ru, Rh, Ir, Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, and Ag, and a balance of one or both of Co and Fe, and unavoidable impurities is provided. Fine particles are removed from the atomized powder to obtain a powder having a particle distribution where the cumulative volume of particles having a particle diameter of 5 ?m or less is 10% or less, and the cumulative volume of particles having a particle diameter of 30 ?m or less is 5-40%. The obtained powder is sintered to form a sputtering target comprising a sintered body. The sputtering target comprises hydrogen of 20 ppm or less.

Abstract: In accordance with various embodiments, an electron beam evaporator can comprise the following: a tubular target; an electron beam gun for producing at least one vapor source on a removal surface of the tubular target by means of an electron beam; wherein the removal surface is a ring-shaped axial end surface or a surface of the tubular target that extends conically or in a curved fashion from the free end edge.

Abstract: An array of nanowires with a period smaller than 150 nm on the surface of curved transparent substrate can be used for applications such as optical polarizers. A curved hard nanomask can be used to manufacture such structures. This nanomask includes a substantially periodic array of substantially parallel elongated elements having a wavelike cross-section. The fabrication method of the nanomask uses ion beams.

Abstract: A target for a cathode sputtering system has a tubular target body made of a sputtering material and at least one connector piece, which is connected to the target body and projects from the target body, for attaching the target body to the cathode sputtering system. The target body is connected to the at least one connector piece in a vacuum-tight manner and the two are rotationally fixed relative to one another. At least one damper element is provided between the at least one connector piece and the target body.

Abstract: A method of depositing a layer on a substrate includes applying a first magnetic field to a cathode target, electrically coupling the cathode target to a first high power pulse resonance alternating current (AC) power supply, positioning an additional cylindrical cathode target electrode around the cathode, applying a second magnetic field to the additional cylindrical cathode target electrode, electrically coupling the additional cylindrical cathode target electrode to a second high power pulse resonance AC power supply, generating magnetic coupling between the cathode target and an anode, providing a feed gas, and selecting a time shift between negative voltage peaks associated with AC voltage waveforms generated by the first high power pulse resonance AC power supply and the second high power pulse resonance AC power supply.

Abstract: A coating apparatus includes a process chamber, a rotation device, and a rotation holder. The rotation device is disposed in the process chamber. The rotation holder is connected to the rotation device. The rotation holder includes two extension elements, two retaining elements, and two pins. The two extension elements are disposed around a center axis and separated from each other, wherein each of the two extension elements has a side surface. Each of the two retaining elements has a bottom surface, one of the two retaining elements is connected to one of the side surfaces, and the other of the two retaining elements is connected to the other of the side surfaces. One of the two pins is connected to one of the bottom surfaces, and the other of the two pins is connected to the other of the bottom surfaces.

Abstract: A method for locating, in a deposition line including a succession of compartments, an origin of a defect affecting a stack of thin layers deposited on a substrate in the compartments, in which each thin layer is deposited in one or more successive compartments of the deposition line and pieces of debris remaining on the surface of a thin layer deposited in a compartment act as masks for the subsequent depositions of thin layers and are the origin of defects, includes obtaining at least one image showing the defect, determining, from the at least one image, a signature of the defect, the signature containing at least one characteristic representative of the defect, and identifying at least one compartment of the deposition line liable to be the origin of the defect from the signature of the defect and using reference signatures associated with the compartments of the deposition line.

Abstract: A method for modifying magnetic field distribution in a deposition chamber is disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing a target magnetic field distribution, removing a first plurality of fixed magnets in the deposition chamber, replacing each of the first plurality of fixed magnets with respective ones of a second plurality of magnets, performing at least one of adjusting a position of at least one of the second plurality of the magnets, and adjusting a size of at least one of the second plurality of magnets, adjusting a magnetic flux of at least one of the second plurality of magnets, measuring the magnetic field distribution in the deposition chamber, and comparing the measured magnetic field distribution in the deposition chamber with the target magnetic field distribution.

Abstract: Embodiments of process kit shields and process chambers incorporating same are provided herein. In some embodiments a process kit configured for use in a process chamber for processing a substrate includes a shield having a cylindrical body having an upper portion and a lower portion; an adapter section configured to be supported on walls of the process chamber and having a resting surface to support the shield; and a heater coupled to the adapter section and configured to be electrically coupled to at least one power source of the processes chamber to heat the shield.

Abstract: Sputter devices comprise a vacuum supply, a gas supply, a substrate holding device, and sputter sources. Each sputter source is held by an individual source support, each of which has an individual reference point allocated on a sputter surface facing the deposition area, and each of which has a source distance to a source reference surface from the individual reference point. The sputter sources are spaced apart from each other, are arranged as a two-dimensional array opposite the deposition area, and extend along the source reference surface. The source reference surface is parallel to the substrate reference surface. At least one of the sputter sources has a source distance deviating from zero.

Abstract: An electrically and magnetically enhanced ionized physical vapor deposition (I-PVD) magnetron apparatus and method is provided for sputtering material from a cathode target on a substrate, and in particular, for sputtering ceramic and diamond-like coatings. The electrically and magnetically enhanced magnetron sputtering source has unbalanced magnetic fields that couple the cathode target and additional electrode together. The additional electrode is electrically isolated from ground and connected to a power supply that can generate positive, negative, or bipolar high frequency voltages, and is preferably a radio frequency (RF) power supply. RF discharge near the additional electrode increases plasma density and a degree of ionization of sputtered material atoms.