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: 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.

Abstract: A sputtering target according to this invention comprises an alloy of Al and Sc and contains from 25 at. % to 50 at. % of Sc. The sputtering target has an oxygen content of 2000 ppm by mass or less, and a variation in Vickers hardness (Hv) of 20% or less.

Abstract: A sputtering target comprising a flat part and a tapered part on a sputter surface, wherein of the tapered part includes a crystal distortion having an average KAM value of 0.5° or more. It is possible to lower the ignition failure rate of ignition (plasma ignition), and start the sputter process stably. Because the downtime of the device can thereby be shortened, it is possible to contribute to the improvement in throughput and cost performance.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for regulating ion energies in a plasma chamber and chucking a substrate to a substrate support are disclosed. An exemplary method includes placing a substrate in a plasma chamber, forming a plasma in the plasma chamber, controllably switching power to the substrate so as to apply a periodic voltage function (or a modified periodic voltage function) to the substrate, and modulating, over multiple cycles of the periodic voltage function, the periodic voltage function responsive to a defined distribution of energies of ions at the surface of the substrate so as to effectuate the defined distribution of ion energies on a time-averaged basis.

Abstract: A sputtering chamber particle trap comprises first and second patterns formed on at least a portion of a surface of the particle trap. The first pattern includes one of: first indentations having a first depth and separated by first and second threads, and first ridges having a first height and separated by first and second grooves. The second pattern is formed on at least a portion of the first pattern and includes one of: second indentations having a second depth and separated by third and fourth threads, and second ridges having a second height and separated by third and fourth grooves. A method of forming a particle trap on a sputtering chamber component is also disclosed.

Abstract: To provide an ion gun of a penning discharge type capable of achieving a milling rate which is remarkably higher than that in the related art, an ion milling device including the same, and an ion milling method. An ion generation unit includes a cathode that emits electrons, an anode that is provided within the ion generation unit and has an inner diameter of 5.2 mm or less, and magnetic-field generation means using a permanent magnet of which a maximum energy product ranges from 110 kJ/m3 to 191 kJ/m3.

Abstract: Pallets for transporting one or more glass substrates in a substantially vertical orientation through a sputtering system. In some cases, a pallet comprising a frame with an aperture and an adjustable grid array within the aperture. The adjustable grid array is configurable to hold a plurality of glass substrates of different shapes and/or sizes. In one case, the adjustable grid array comprises a system of vertical and horizontal support bars, wherein the vertical support bars configured to both support the plurality of glass substrates at their vertical edges, wherein the horizontal support bars are configured to support the plurality of glass substrates at their horizontal edges, wherein the ends of the horizontal support bars are slideably engaged with the vertical support bars.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a transfer-free method for producing a graphene thin film, which may form a high-quality graphene layer having excellent crystallinity on a substrate without a transfer process, and to a method of fabricating a device using the transfer-free method. More specifically, the present invention relates to a transfer-free method for producing a graphene thin film and a method for fabricating a device using the transfer-free method, the methods including the steps of: (A) forming a titanium buffer layer on a target substrate; and (B) growing a graphene thin film on the titanium buffer layer, wherein process are performed in an oxygen-free atmosphere throughout the steps (A) to (B).

Abstract: Provided is a sputtering target with which it is possible to form a magnetic thin film having a high coercive force Hc. The sputtering target is a sputtering target that contains metallic Co, metallic Pt, and an oxide, wherein the sputtering target contains no metallic Cr except inevitable impurities, the oxide has B2O3, and the sputtering target comprises 10 to 50 vol % of the oxide.

Abstract: A device for producing an amorphous carbon layer by electron cyclotron resonance plasma, the device including a plasma chamber; a gas supply; a magnetic mirror; a waveguide extending along a reference axis; a system for injecting microwave power; a magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field in the plasma chamber, the magnetic field generator being configured to create a beam of magnetic field lines along which plasma is diffused; a target made from carbon; a substrate holder, wherein the target is arranged at a distance from the reference axis of between Rtarget/2 and Rtarget, and wherein the device further includes a screen arranged between the waveguide and the substrate holder.

Abstract: The present invention discloses preparation of a reflective image component and application method thereof. A reflective image component in the present invention consists of a metallic semi-continuous thin film, a porous alumina film and a high reflective metal substrate. The structure is easy in preparation, low in cost, environmental friendly regarding preparing procedures and suitable for large-scale fabrication, which plays a significant role in developing a next generation of image component; the minimum pixel in the image obtained is able to reach nano level, much smaller than the pixel in most of the self-luminous screens at present; the image also provides the ability of reversible color transformations, which can be applied to information encryption and trademark decoration and the like.