Abstract: A copper electrode material comprising Cu and unavoidable impurities, wherein the content of the unavoidable impurities is 1 ppm by mass or less and the average crystal grain diameter is 100 ?m or less. A copper-containing electrode material having improved corrosion resistance is provided by the copper electrode material.

Abstract: A sintered compact target containing an element(s) (A) and an element(s) (B) as defined below is provided. The sintered compact target is free from pores having an average diameter of 1 ?m or more, and the number of micropores having an average diameter of less than 1 ?m existing in 40000 ?m2 of the target surface is 100 micropores or less. The element(s) (A) is one or more chalcogenide elements selected from S, Se, and Te, and the element(s) (B) is one or more Vb group elements selected from Bi, Sb, As, P, and N. The provided technology is able to eliminate the source of grain dropping or generation of nodules in the target during sputtering, and additionally inhibit the generation of particles.

Abstract: Provided is a high-purity tin product that does not contain undesirable carbonaceous impurities as a result of the following: a vacuum-packed high-purity metal article (vacuum-packed high-purity tin article) is obtained by vacuum packaging a high-purity metal (high-purity tin), at least a portion of a surface of a high-purity metal being covered with a fluorocarbon resin sheet; and the vacuum-packed high-purity metal article(vacuum-packed high-purity tin article) is obtained by vacuum packaging, with a vacuum packaging film, the high-purity metal in which at least a portion of a surface is covered with the fluorocarbon resin sheet.

Abstract: Provided is a high-purity tin product that does not contain undesirable carbonaceous impurities as a result of the following: a vacuum-packed high-purity metal article (vacuum-packed high-purity tin article) is obtained by vacuum packaging a high-purity metal (high-purity tin), at least a portion of a surface of a high-purity metal being covered with a fluorocarbon resin sheet; and the vacuum-packed high-purity metal article(vacuum-packed high-purity tin article) is obtained by vacuum packaging, with a vacuum packaging film, the high-purity metal in which at least a portion of a surface is covered with the fluorocarbon resin sheet.

Abstract: A sintered compact target containing an element(s) (A) and an element(s) (B) as defined below is provided. The sintered compact target is free from pores having an average diameter of 1 ?m or more, and the number of micropores having an average diameter of less than 1 ?m existing in 40000 ?m2 of the target surface is 100 micropores or less. The element(s) (A) is one or more chalcogenide elements selected from S, Se, and Te, and the element(s) (B) is one or more Vb group elements selected from Bi, Sb, As, P, and N. The provided technology is able to eliminate the source of grain dropping or generation of nodules in the target during sputtering, and additionally inhibit the generation of particles.

Abstract: Provided is a titanium target for sputtering having a Shore hardness Hs of 20 or more and a basal plane orientation ratio of 70% or less. In the titanium target for sputtering, the purity of titanium is 99.995 mass % or more, excluding gas components. It is an object of the present invention to provide a high-quality titanium target for sputtering, in which impurities are reduced, and which can prevent occurrence of cracking or breaking in high-power sputtering (high-rate sputtering), stabilize sputtering characteristics, and effectively suppress occurrence of particles during formation of a film.

Abstract: Provided is a titanium target for sputtering having a Shore hardness Hs of 20 or more and a basal plane orientation ratio of 70% or less. In the titanium target for sputtering, the purity of titanium is 99.995 mass % or more, excluding gas components. It is an object of the present invention to provide a high-quality titanium target for sputtering, in which impurities are reduced, and which can prevent occurrence of cracking or breaking in high-power sputtering (high-rate sputtering), stabilize sputtering characteristics, and effectively suppress occurrence of particles during formation of a film.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sintered compact target containing an element (A) and an element (B) below, wherein the sintered compact target is free from pores having an average diameter of 1 ?m or more, and the number of micropores having an average diameter of less than 1 ?m existing in 40000 ?m2 of the target surface is 100 micropores or less: (A): one or more chalcogenide elements selected from S, Se, and Te; and (B): one or more Vb group elements selected from Bi, Sb, As, P, and N. The provided technology is able to eliminate the source of grain dropping or generation of nodules in the target during sputtering, and additionally inhibit the generation of particles.

Abstract: A titanium sputtering target that contains a concentration of oxygen in an amount of 20 ppm or less and has a maximum grain diameter of 20 &mgr;m or less. The target permits a sputtering operation to be accomplished substantially free from the formation of particles or the occurrence of an abnormal discharge phenomenon. In addition, the target contains a reduced amount of contaminants and is soft.

Abstract: A high-purity titanium sputtering target having controlled crystal characteristics. The uniform problem of film thickness distribution on a substrate can be solved by adopting the requirements that (a) the average crystal grain diameters at various portions of the sputtering surface of the target are 500 .mu.m or less, preferably 100 .mu.m or less, and their dispersions are within .+-.20%, and (b) the defined orientation content ratios A have dispersions within .+-.20% and (c) a Ti target crystal structure has a recrystallization structure. The problems in connection with particle generation and lowered film forming rate in collimation sputtering can be solved by adopting the requirements that (d) said orientation content ratios A are is 80% or less, preferably 50% or less, and (e) the defined orientation content ratios B are 20% or less, as necessary, in combination with the aforementioned (a) to (c) requirements.

Abstract: A sputtering target assembly composed of a sputtering target and a backing plate with or without an insert or inserts interposed therebetween as necessary characterized by having solid-phase bonded interface accompanied with no appreciable thermal diffusion layer and by said sputtering target substantially maintaining the quality characteristics including metallurgical characteristics and properties that the sputtering target had before it was bonded to the backing plate intact. The sputtering target assembly is obtained by solid-phase bonding the target and backing plate, with or without one or more insert sandwiched therebetween, at a low temperature and a low pressure under a vacuum. The solid-phase bonded interface gives reliable bonds of a bonded area percentage of 100% without non-bonded portions such as pores. The uniformity of microstructure and crystal orientation etc. of a target material is maintained intact with the suppression of crystal grain growth.

Abstract: A mosaic target comprising a plurality of target block pieces of different kinds of materials selected from the group consisting of Ta, Mo, Ti, W, Zr, Nb and Si, and their alloys and compounds, said target block pieces being combined in a stripe pattern or in a radial pattern characterized in that said target block pieces have their abutting interfaces solid-phase bonded at a temperature no more than the melting points of the target block piece materials. A typical example is a Ta-Mo mosaic target. The solid-phase bonded mosaic target blank is machined to a target which is bonded to a backing plate. The solid-phase bonding produces a mosaic target of a unitary construction, eliminating gaps among the target block pieces without sacrificing the properties of the individual block pieces. Abnormal discharge owing to gaps or contamination of the resulting film by concurrent sputtering of the solder or the backing plate is avoided.

Abstract: A sputtering target of a high-purity Al or Al alloy having (1) a target crystal structure as a recrystallization structure and average grain diameters in various portions of 500 .mu.m or less, with dispersions within .+-.15%, and (2) a {200} crystalline orientation content ratio on the sputtering surface of at least 0.35 in various portions of the target, with dispersions within .+-.15%, said {200} crystalline orientation content ratio being defined by the following formula: ##EQU1## where I.sub.{200}, I.sub.{111}, I.sub.{220} and I.sub.{311} are peak strengths for (200), (111), (220) and (311) crystal planes, respectively, as obtained X-ray diffraction method. Simultaneous realization of (1)+(2) is desirable. For these purposes, uniform warm or cold working to a desired final geometry below the recrystallization temperature must be followed by uniform heat treatment throughout the target at the recrystallization temperature of the material to finish the recrystallization.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing metal silicide targets or alloy targets for sputtering use comprises the steps of (a) mechanically alloying silicon and a metal to provide a metal silicide powder or mechanically alloying silicon and a plurality of metal powders to provide an alloy powder, (b) and then pressing the metal silicide powder or alloy powder. The invention also relates to the metal silicide targets or alloy targets so manufactured. In the mechanical alloying step, rapid and fine division and agglomeration of the mixed powder is repeated until the particles of the material powders are finely divided to a submicron level. They form aggregates tens of microns in diameter. The aggregates gradually take an equi-axed shape. Homogenization of the material powder mixture progresses to mixing on the atomic level, until alloying takes place.