Abstract: A method of manufacturing a rack bar includes: a rolling die abutment step of bringing a pair of rolling dies into abutment against an intermediate portion of a workpiece; and a ball screw groove forming step of forming a ball screw groove in the workpiece by moving the workpiece relative to the pair of rolling dies so that a region of the workpiece against which the pair of rolling dies is brought into abutment is moved from the intermediate portion toward a first end portion of the workpiece.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a rack bar includes: a rolling die abutment step of bringing a pair of rolling dies into abutment against an intermediate portion of a workpiece; and a ball screw groove forming step of forming a ball screw groove in the workpiece by moving the workpiece relative to the pair of rolling dies so that a region of the workpiece against which the pair of rolling dies is brought into abutment is moved from the intermediate portion toward a first end portion of the workpiece.

Abstract: Provided is a cylindrical sputtering target made of a metal material, which has reduced particles. The sputtering target includes at least a target material, wherein the target material includes one or more metal elements, and has a crystal grain size of 10 ?m or less.

Abstract: Provided is a cylindrical sputtering target made of a metal material, which has reduced particles. The sputtering target includes at least a target material, wherein the target material comprises one or more metal elements, the target material has a crystal grain size of 50 ?m or less, and the target material has an oxygen concentration of 1000 ppm by mass or less.

Abstract: Provided is a tungsten silicide target that efficiently suppresses generation of particles during sputtering deposition. A tungsten silicide target having a two-phase structure of a WSi2 phase and a Si phase, wherein the tungsten silicide target is represented by a composition formula in an atomic ratio: WSix with X>2.0; wherein, when observing a sputtering surface, a ratio of a total area I1 of Si grains having an area per a Si grain of 63.6 ?m2 or more to a total area S1 of the Si grains forming the Si phase (I1/S1) is 5% or less; and wherein a Weibull modulus of flexural strength is 2.1 or more.

Abstract: A first copper alloy sputtering target comprising 0.5 to 4.0 wt % of Al and 0.5 wtppm or less of Si and a second copper alloy sputtering target comprising 0.5 to 4.0 wt % of Sn and 0.5 wtppm or less of Mn are disclosed. The first and/or the second alloy sputtering target can further comprise one or more elements selected from among Sb, Zr, Ti, Cr, Ag, Au, Cd, In and As in a total amount of 1.0 wtppm or less. A semiconductor element wiring formed by the use of the above targets is also disclosed. The above copper alloy sputtering target allows the formation of a wiring material for a semiconductor element, in particular, a seed layer being stable, uniform and free from the occurrence of coagulation during electrolytic copper plating and exhibits excellent sputtering film formation characteristics.

Abstract: A tungsten sintered compact sputtering target and film are provided. The purity of the tungsten is 5N (99.999%) or more and the content of impurity carbon in the tungsten is 5 wtppm or less. The tungsten film, which is sputter-deposited by using the tungsten sintered compact sputtering target, has a low specific resistance due to the reduced carbon content in the tungsten target.

Abstract: Provided is a tungsten sintered compact sputtering target, wherein the purity of the tungsten is 5N (99.999%) or more, and the content of impurity carbon in the tungsten is 5 wtppm or less. An object of the present invention is to decrease the specific resistance of a tungsten film sputter-deposited by using a tungsten sintered compact sputtering target by reducing a carbon content in the tungsten target.

Abstract: A first copper alloy sputtering target comprising 0.5 to 4.0 wt % of Al and 0.5 wtppm or less of Si and a second copper alloy sputtering target comprising 0.5 to 4.0 wt % of Sn and 0.5 wtppm or less of Mn are disclosed. The first and/or the second alloy sputtering target can further comprise one or more elements selected from among Sb, Zr, Ti, Cr, Ag, Au, Cd, In and As in a total amount of 1.0 wtppm or less. A semiconductor element wiring formed by the use of the above targets is also disclosed. The above copper alloy sputtering target allows the formation of a wiring material for a semiconductor element, in particular, a seed layer being stable, uniform and free from the occurrence of coagulation during electrolytic copper plating and exhibits excellent sputtering film formation characteristics.

Abstract: A copper alloy sputtering target most suitable for formation of an interconnection material of a semiconductor device, particularly for formation of a seed layer, characterized in that the target contains 0.4 to 5 wt % of Sn, and the structure of the target does not substantially contain any precipitates, and the resistivity of the target material is 2.2 ??cm or more. This target enables formation of an interconnection material of a semiconductor device, particularly a uniform seed layer stable during copper electroplating and is excellent in sputtering deposition characteristics. A method for manufacturing such a target is also disclosed.

Abstract: Provided is a tungsten sintered compact sputtering target containing iron as an impurity in an amount of 0.8 wtppm or less, and remainder being tungsten and other unavoidable impurities, wherein a range of iron concentration in a target structure is within a range of ±0.1 wtppm of an average concentration. Additionally provided is a tungsten sintered compact sputtering target, wherein a relative density of the target is 99% or higher, an average crystal grain size is 50 ?m or less, and a crystal grain size range is 5 to 200 ?m. The present invention aims to inhibit abnormal grain growth in the tungsten target by reducing the amount of iron in the tungsten sintered compact sputtering target.

Abstract: A high-purity copper sputtering target, wherein a Vickers hardness of a flange part of the target is in a range of 90 to 100 Hv, a Vickers hardness of an erosion part in the central area of the target is in a range of 55 to 70 Hv, and a crystal grain size of the erosion part is 80 ?m or less. This invention relates to a high-purity copper sputtering target that does not need to be bonded to a backing plate (BP), and aims to provide a high-purity copper sputtering target capable of forming a thin film having superior uniformity by enhancing a strength (hardness) of the flange part of the target, and reducing an amount of warpage of the target. Moreover, the uniformity of the film thickness is improved by adjusting the (111) orientation ratio of the erosion part and the flange part in the target.

Abstract: A copper alloy sputtering target is provided and contains 0.01 to (less than) 0.5 wt % of at least one element selected from Al or Sn, and containing Mn or Si in a total amount of 0.25 wtppm or less. The above copper alloy sputtering target allows the formation of a wiring material for a semiconductor element, in particular, a seed layer being stable, uniform and free from the occurrence of coagulation during electrolytic copper plating and exhibits excellent sputtering film formation characteristics. A semiconductor element wiring formed with this target is also provided.

Abstract: A backing plate integrated sputtering target includes a flange part having a Vicker's hardness (Hv) of 90 or more and a 0.2% yield stress of 6.98×107 N/m2 or more. Enhancing the mechanical strength of only the flange part of the target inhibits the target from being deformed during sputtering, and further, does not vary the original sputtering characteristics. Consequently, the target can form a thin film having excellent uniformity. This can improve the yield and the reliability of semiconductor products, which have been progressing in miniaturization and integration.

Abstract: A high-purity titanium target for sputtering, which contains, as additive components, one or more elements selected from Al, Si, S, Cl, Cr, Fe, Ni, As, Zr, Sn, Sb, B, and La in a total amount of 3 to 100 mass ppm, and of which the purity excluding additive components and gas components is 99.99 mass % or higher. An object of this invention is to provide a high-quality titanium target for sputtering, which is free from fractures and cracks during high-power sputtering (high-rate sputtering) and capable of stabilizing the sputtering characteristics.

Abstract: Provided is a copper or copper alloy target/copper alloy backing plate assembly in which the anti-eddy current characteristics and other characteristics required in a magnetron sputtering target are simultaneously pursued in a well balanced manner. This copper or copper alloy target/copper alloy backing plate assembly is used for magnetron sputtering, and the copper alloy backing plate is formed from low beryllium copper alloy or Cu—Ni—Si-based alloy. Further, with this copper or copper alloy target/copper alloy backing plate assembly, the copper alloy backing plate has electrical conductivity of 35 to 60% (IACS), and 0.2% proof stress of 400 to 850 MPa.

Abstract: Provided is a tungsten sintered compact sputtering target containing iron as an impurity in an amount of 0.8 wtppm or less, and remainder being tungsten and other unavoidable impurities, wherein a range of iron concentration in a target structure is within a range of ±0.1 wtppm of an average concentration. Additionally provided is a tungsten sintered compact sputtering target according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a relative density of the target is 99% or higher, an average crystal grain size is 50 ?m or less, and a crystal grain size range is 5 to 200 ?m. The present invention aims to inhibit abnormal grain growth in the tungsten target by reducing the amount of iron in the tungsten sintered compact sputtering target.

Abstract: A high purity copper-manganese alloy sputtering target containing 0.05 to 20 wt % of Mn and, excluding additive elements, remainder being Cu and unavoidable impurities, wherein the target contains 0.001 to 0.06 wtppm of P and 0.005 to 5 wtppm of S, and further contains Ca and Si, and a total content of P, S, Ca, and Si is 0.01 to 20 wtppm. The incorporation of appropriate amounts of Mn as well as Ca, P, Si, and S in copper improves the machinability that is required in the stage of producing a target to facilitate the manufacture (workability) of the target, improves the smoothness of the target surface, and inhibits the generation of particles during sputtering. Thus, provided is a high purity copper-manganese alloy sputtering target which is particularly useful for improving the yield and reliability of semiconductor products that progress toward miniaturization and integration.

Abstract: Provided is a high-purity copper-manganese-alloy sputtering target comprising 0.05 to 20 wt % of Mn and the remainder being Cu and inevitable impurities. The high-purity copper-manganese-alloy sputtering target is characterized in that the in-plane variation (CV value) in Mn concentration of the target is 3% or less. It is thus possible to form a thin film having excellent uniformity by adding an appropriate amount of a Mn element to copper and reducing the in-plane variation of the sputtering target. In particular, there is provided a high-purity copper-manganese-alloy sputtering target which is useful for improving the yield and the reliability of semiconductor products which are making progress in a degree of refinement and integration.

Abstract: Provided is a sputtering target-backing plate assembly for a 450-mm wafer, wherein the amount of warpage of the target developed during sputtering is 4 mm or less. Further provided is a method of manufacturing a sputtering target-backing plate assembly for a 450-mm wafer, the method comprising bonding a sputtering target material selected from copper, titanium, tantalum, nickel, cobalt, tungsten or alloys thereof with a backing plate made of copper, a copper alloy, an aluminum alloy, titanium or a titanium alloy at a temperature of 200 to 600° C., thereby the amount of warpage of the target developed during sputtering being 4 mm or less. An object of the present invention is to attempt to suppress detachment of a target from a backing plate and development of a crack by controlling development of warpage which occurs in a large sputtering target and to achieve uniform deposition properties.