Abstract: A sputtering target assembly in which the region of attachment between the sputtering target and the backing plate has varying stiffness, thereby reducing stresses in the target during sputtering. In the region of attachment, the backing plate has varying thickness, for example a smooth taper. Alternatively, the backing plate may include structures which affect the stiffness of the backing plate in the region of attachment. These structures may be defined by machining, molding or forging during manufacture of the backing plate, or by machining or drilling voids in the backing plate. As a second alternative, the bonding material used to attach the sputtering target and the backing plate may have a varying stiffness across the region of attachment.

Abstract: An ellipsometric measuring system is set-up in association with a vacuum chamber on a production line for thin film samples. The ellipsometer has a scanner for directing the incident light beam to different locations on a thin film sample, and the ellipsometer also has an aperture for limiting the reflected light beam received by the photodetector. The scanner implements a method of aligning the incident beam to a selected surface of the sample. The scanner and the aperture are used to provide a finer adjustment of the incident beam with respect to the selected surface. The ellipsometric measuring system further uses test thin film samples with known film thicknesses and index or refractions to calculate a value for the angle of incidence of the incident light beam.