Abstract: Continuous casting of copper to produce sputter targets (20). The resulting targets comprise a relatively low amount of inclusions therein and will result in reduced particulate sputtering leading to a more uniform coating that is sputtered onto the desired substrate.

Abstract: A target and backing plate assembly and method of making the same. The backing plate is made of a material having an electrical conductivity less than or equal to 45% IACS and is selected from the group consisting of Al alloys, Cu alloys, magnesium, magnesium alloys, molybdenum, molybdenum alloys, zinc, zinc alloys, nickel and nickel alloys.

Abstract: A variable thickness sputtering target which increases the target material thickness at strategic locations to greatly improve the yield of usable wafers per target, and a method of manufacturing such target comprising forming a generally flat and circularly shaped target blank so that a thickness dimension between the top and bottom surfaces decreases as a function of radius of the target blank. The variable thickness target blank is then formed into a variable thickness dome shaped target member having a bottom portion and a sidewall portion, wherein a wall thickness of said variable thickness dome-shaped target member is thickest proximate a center portion of said bottom portion. In one embodiment of the invention, the variable thickness target blank is formed by clock rolling (or compression rolling) the target blank with crowned rolls to obtain a variable thickness target blank.

Abstract: A non-planar sputter target having differing crystallographic orientations in portions of the sputter target surface (25) that promote more desirable deposition and density patterns of material sputtered from the target surface onto a substrate is disclosed. A closed dome (22) end of the sputter target (20) is comprised of a first crystallographic orientation and sidewalls (24) of the sputter target are comprised of a crystallographic orientation different from that of the dome. The sputter target is formed, preferably by hydroforming or other metal working techniques, in the absence of annealing. The hydroforming manipulations result in the different crystallographic orientations while minimizing, or ideally omitting, the application of heat. Quick and cost effective non-planar sputter targets that are easily repeatably producable are achievable as a result. There are vectors (?, ?1, ?2) in the target.