Abstract: A method for manufacturing a sputtering target assembly that is used with a sputtering deposition machine. A molten target material is deposited onto a substrate or backing plate to form a target assembly. The target assembly is heated to approximately the melting point temperature of the target material in order to form an alloy interface layer between the substrate and the target material that improves the bond strength of the target assembly. In one embodiment, the thickness of the alloy interface layer can be controlled by cooling the substrate during the formation of the alloy interface layer.