Abstract: To provide a sputtering apparatus that enables oblique film forming by arranging a target and a substrate so as to allow sputtered particles emitted from the target to obliquely enter the substrate selectively, and can form a magnetic film having high uniaxial magnetic anisotropy uniformly and compactly. A sputtering apparatus includes a cathode having a sputtering target supporting surface, the cathode being provided with a rotation axis about which the sputtering target supporting surface rotates, and a stage having a substrate supporting surface, the stage being provided with a rotation axis about which the substrate supporting surface rotates, and the sputtering apparatus is constituted such that the sputtering target supporting surface and the substrate supporting surface face to each other, and are rotatable independently about respective rotation axes.

Abstract: A structure is provided in which a load lock chamber (51) for carrying in an unprocessed wafer from outside and carrying out a processed wafer to outside, a first end conveyance chamber (54a) to be connected to the load lock chamber, at least one intermediate conveyance chamber (54b), a plurality of sets of a pair of process modules (52a, 52b) provided adjacent to each other and capable of independent processing, and a second end conveyance chamber (54c) disposed at the end part on the opposite side of the load lock chamber are connected in series. Each set of process modules (52a, 52b, 52c and 52d) is arranged one by one between the first end conveyance chamber and the intermediate conveyance chamber, between the intermediate conveyance chambers, and between the intermediate conveyance chamber and the second end conveyance chamber, respectively.

Abstract: A cooling system that cools a wafer in a vacuum chamber of a sputtering apparatus, includes a wafer cooling stage for cooling the wafer, a cooling mechanism for cooling the wafer cooling stage, cooling gas supply units which introduces a cooling gas to the wafer cooling stage, a wafer rotating mechanism which holds the wafer in a state separated from the wafer cooling stage by a predetermined gap, and is rotated while holding the wafer, and a driving mechanism which rotates the wafer rotating mechanism at a predetermined rotational speed.

Abstract: An ion beam generator generates plasma in a discharge tank 2, leads out an annular ion beam by a lead-out electrode 7, and deflects the ion beam in an annular center direction by a deflecting electrode 30 to enter a substrate W from the inclined direction to provide uniformity of the incident ion beam to the substrate without increasing the size of the whole apparatus.

Abstract: [Objective of the Invention] An ion beam generator, a thermal distortion in a grid assembly is reduced. [Structure to Solve the Objective] Thermal expansion coefficients ?P, ?M and ?G, for a sidewall (1A) of a discharge chamber, mounting platform (40) and extraction grid electrode assembly (20) are selected to have a relation: ?P>?M??G. For example, the material of discharge chamber sidewall is stainless steel o aluminum, the material of grids is Mo, W or C and the material of platform is Ti or Mo.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sputtering apparatus and a film deposition method capable of forming a magnetic film with reduced variations in the direction of magnetic anisotropy. The sputtering apparatus of the present invention is provided with a rotatable cathode (802), a rotatable stage (801) and a rotatable shielding plate (805). The sputtering apparatus controls the rotation of at least one of the cathode (802), stage (801) and shielding plate (805) so that sputtered particles impinging at an angle formed with respect to a normal line of the substrate (804) of 0° or more and 50° or less out of sputtered particles generated from the target (803a) during sputtering are made to impinge on the substrate (804).

Abstract: A perpendicular recording medium having a perpendicular magnetic recording layer and a magnetically soft underlayer structure disposed beneath the recording layer. The soft underlayer structure includes at least first and second soft magnetic layers having different magnetic permeabilities to create a magnetic permeability gradient in the soft underlayer structure. One or more of the soft magnetic layers can be anti-parallel coupled. The soft underlayer structure of the present invention having a magnetic permeability gradient advantageously leads to reduced adjacent track erasure (ATE) while maintaining good overwrite (OW) properties.

Abstract: A perpendicular recording medium having a perpendicular magnetic recording layer and a magnetically soft underlayer structure disposed beneath the recording layer. The soft underlayer structure includes at least first and second soft magnetic layers having different magnetic permeabilities to create a magnetic permeability gradient in the soft underlayer structure. One or more of the soft magnetic layers can be anti-parallel coupled. The soft underlayer structure of the present invention having a magnetic permeability gradient advantageously leads to reduced adjacent track erasure (ATE) while maintaining good overwrite (OW) properties.

Abstract: There are comprised a load chamber (51) for carrying in a wafer from outside, an unload chamber (53) for carrying out a wafer to outside, and a plurality of conveyance chambers (54a, 54b, 54c) and a plurality of process modules (52a, 52b) connected in series between the load chamber and the unload chamber. The conveyance chambers and the process modules are connected alternately and the plurality of conveyance chambers includes a first end conveyance chamber (54a) connected to the load chamber, a second end conveyance chamber (54c) connected to the unload chamber, and another one or a plurality of intermediate conveyance chambers (54b).

Abstract: A system for reducing spike noise in a perpendicular recording medium having a soft underlayer is provided. The system radially biases the soft underlayer to substantially eliminate domain walls therein. In a first embodiment of the system, a permanent magnetic bias ring is disposed generally adjacent to the soft underlayer and a magnetic circuit is formed between the magnetic ring and the soft underlayer. Other embodiments include a concentric stationary magnetic flux return disk to extend the radial distance of the flux path. In alternative embodiments, a ferromagnetic spindle assembly is modified to produce a radiation pattern that has a net radial exterior field that biases the adjacent soft underlayer of the medium. The entire assembly can be shielded from external magnetic fields in the disk drive. Further, the shielding may operate as part of the magnetic circuit.

Abstract: A structure is provided in which a load lock chamber (51) for carrying in an unprocessed wafer from outside and carrying out a processed wafer to outside, a first end conveyance chamber (54a) to be connected to the load lock chamber, at least one intermediate conveyance chamber (54b), a plurality of sets of a pair of process modules (52a, 52b) provided adjacent to each other and capable of independent processing, and a second end conveyance chamber (54c) disposed at the end part on the opposite side of the load lock chamber are connected in series. Each set of process modules (52a, 52b, 52c and 52d) is arranged one by one between the first end conveyance chamber and the intermediate conveyance chamber, between the intermediate conveyance chambers, and between the intermediate conveyance chamber and the second end conveyance chamber, respectively.

Abstract: To provide a magnetron sputtering cathode, a magnetron sputtering apparatus, and a method of manufacturing a magnetic device, capable of generating a leakage magnetic field sufficiently large to form a magnetic tunnel necessary for discharge on the surface of a target even when the target is a magnetic body and thick and a ferromagnetic body is used as the target. The magnetron sputtering cathode of the present invention includes a target having a second annular groove provided on the sputtering surface of the target, a third annular projection provided on the non-sputtering surface of the target, a fourth annular groove provided outside the third annular projection on the non-sputtering surface, and a fourth annular projection provided outside the fourth annular groove on the non-sputtering surface. Further, the magnetron sputtering cathode includes a first magnet and a second magnet 6 having a polarity different from that of the first magnet on the non-sputtering surface side.

Abstract: A structure is provided in which a load lock chamber (51) for carrying in and out a wafer, a first conveyance module (53a) having a first conveyance mechanism (54a), a first process module (52a), a second conveyance module (53b) having a second conveyance mechanism (54b), and a second process module (52b) are sequentially connected in series. A wafer (55) is conveyed between the load lock chamber and the first process module by the first conveyance mechanism and conveyed between the first process module and the second process module by the second conveyance mechanism.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sputtering apparatus and a film forming method that can form a high quality film in a groove having a sloping wall such as a V-groove. The sputtering apparatus of the present invention includes a rotatable cathode (102), a rotatable stage (101), and a rotatable shield plate (105). The sputtering apparatus controls rotation of at least one of the cathode (102), the stage (101), and the shield plate (105) so that sputtering particles are incident on the V-groove formed in a substrate (104) at an angle of 50° or less with respect to a normal to a sloping wall of the V-groove.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sputtering apparatus and a film deposition method capable of forming a magnetic film with reduced variations in the direction of magnetic anisotropy. The sputtering apparatus of the present invention is provided with a rotatable cathode (802), a rotatable stage (801) and a rotatable shielding plate (805). The sputtering apparatus controls the rotation of at least one of the cathode (802), stage (801) and shielding plate (805) so that sputtered particles impinging at an angle formed with respect to a normal line of the substrate (804) of 0° or more and 50° or less out of sputtered particles generated from the target (803a) during sputtering are made to impinge on the substrate (804).

Abstract: To provide a sputtering apparatus that enables oblique film forming by arranging a target and a substrate so as to allow sputtered particles emitted from the target to obliquely enter the substrate selectively, and can form a magnetic film having high uniaxial magnetic anisotropy uniformly and compactly. A sputtering apparatus includes a cathode having a sputtering target supporting surface, the cathode being provided with a rotation axis about which the sputtering target supporting surface rotates, and a stage having a substrate supporting surface, the stage being provided with a rotation axis about which the substrate supporting surface rotates, and the sputtering apparatus is constituted such that the sputtering target supporting surface and the substrate supporting surface face to each other, and are rotatable independently about respective rotation axes.

Abstract: A sputtering apparatus includes a first target accommodating unit to accommodate a first target for film formation on a substrate; a first heater, arranged to surround the first target, for heating the substrate; and a second target accommodating unit arranged to surround the first heater to accommodate a second target for film formation on the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thin film formation apparatus which includes a plurality of chambers, and performs processing for forming thin films on two surfaces of a substrate transferred to the plurality of chambers, wherein a first sputtering chamber of the plurality of chambers includes a first sputtering film formation unit configured to perform a sputtering film formation process on a first surface of the substrate, and a first heating unit configured to heat a second surface opposite to the first surface of the substrate, and a second sputtering chamber of the plurality of chambers includes a second heating unit configured to heat the first surface of the substrate having undergone the sputtering film formation process performed by the first sputtering chamber, and a second sputtering film formation unit configured to perform a sputtering film formation process on the second surface of the substrate heated by the first sputtering chamber.

Abstract: A method for cleaning a substrate processing apparatus in which a first ion beam generator and a second ion beam generator are arranged opposite to each other to sandwich a plane on which a substrate is to be placed, and which processes two surfaces of the substrate, comprises steps of retreating the substrate from a position between the first ion beam generator and the second ion beam generator, and cleaning the second ion beam generator by emitting an ion beam from the first ion beam generator to the second ion beam generator.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium and a magnetic recording apparatus for perpendicular magnetic recording. The recording medium includes a magnetically soft underlayer and a hard magnetic pinning layer having perpendicular anisotropy. The magnetically soft underlayer is substantially free of domain walls.