A sputtering target assembly includes a sputtering target having a rear surface, a backing plate having a front surface, and an interlayer disposed between the target and the backing plate. The interlayer includes a first interlayer portion disposed proximate the target material rear surface, and a second interlayer portion disposed proximate the backing plate front surface. The first interlayer portion is formed of a first mixture containing a first material and a second material and having a higher concentration of the first material than the second material, and the second interlayer portion is formed of a second mixture containing the first material and the second material and having a higher concentration of the second material than the first material. A method of making is also provided.

A method of fabricating an interposer includes: providing a carrier substrate; forming a unit redistribution layer on the carrier substrate, the unit redistribution layer including a conductive via plug and a conductive redistribution line; and removing the carrier substrate from the unit redistribution layer. The formation of the unit redistribution layer includes: forming a first photosensitive pattern layer including a first via hole pattern; forming a second photosensitive pattern layer including a second via hole pattern and a redistribution pattern on the first photosensitive pattern layer; at least partially filling insides of the first via hole pattern, the second via hole pattern, and the redistribution pattern with a conductive material; and performing planarization to make a top surface of the unit redistribution layer flat. According to the method, no undercut occurs under a conductive structure and there are no bubbles between adjacent conductive structures, thus device reliability is enhanced and pattern accuracy is realized.

A method of fabricating an interposer includes: providing a carrier substrate; forming a unit redistribution layer on the carrier substrate, the unit redistribution layer including a conductive via plug and a conductive redistribution line; and removing the carrier substrate from the unit redistribution layer. The formation of the unit redistribution layer includes: forming a first photosensitive pattern layer including a first via hole pattern; forming a second photosensitive pattern layer including a second via hole pattern and a redistribution pattern on the first photosensitive pattern layer; at least partially filling insides of the first via hole pattern, the second via hole pattern, and the redistribution pattern with a conductive material; and performing planarization to make a top surface of the unit redistribution layer flat. According to the method, no undercut occurs under a conductive structure and there are no bubbles between adjacent conductive structures, thus device reliability is enhanced and pattern accuracy is realized.

An element with at least one slide surface with a coating for use on an internal combustion engine may include a base of a metallic alloy and at least one inner surface provided with a hard ceramic coating generated by physical vapor deposition. The element may include a porosity with a rate lower than 2 percent by volume, a Vickers hardness ranging from 1500 to 3000HV, and a compressive inner tension lower than 500 MPa.

An apparatus includes a process chamber, a substrate holder arranged in the process chamber, a first shield provided on the peripheral portion of the substrate holder, and a second shield provided inside the process chamber. The internal space of the process chamber is partitioned into an outer space and a process space to process the substrate, by at least the first shield, the second shield, and the substrate holder. The substrate holder can be driven along a driving direction perpendicular to a substrate holding surface. The length, in a direction parallel to the driving direction, of a minimum gap portion having a minimum size in a direction perpendicular to the driving direction between the first and second shields does not change even if the substrate holder is driven in the driving direction.

An apparatus includes a process chamber, a substrate holder arranged in the process chamber, a first shield provided on the peripheral portion of the substrate holder, and a second shield provided inside the process chamber. The internal space of the process chamber is partitioned into an outer space and a process space to process the substrate, by at least the first shield, the second shield, and the substrate holder. The substrate holder can be driven along a driving direction perpendicular to a substrate holding surface. The length, in a direction parallel to the driving direction, of a minimum gap portion having a minimum size in a direction perpendicular to the driving direction between the first and second shields does not change even if the substrate holder is driven in the driving direction.

Implementations of the present disclosure relate to a sputtering target for a sputtering chamber used to process a substrate. In one implementation, a sputtering target for a sputtering chamber is provided. The sputtering target comprises a sputtering plate with a backside surface having radially inner, middle and outer regions and an annular-shaped backing plate mounted to the sputtering plate. The backside surface has a plurality of circular grooves which are spaced apart from one another and at least one arcuate channel cutting through the circular grooves and extending from the radially inner region to the radially outer region of sputtering plate. The annular-shaped backing plate defines an open annulus exposing the backside surface of the sputtering plate.

A halftone phase shift film containing Si and N and/or O is deposited on a transparent substrate by reactive sputtering of a Si-containing target with a reactive gas containing N and/or O. One layer is sputter deposited while the reactive gas flow rate is set equal to or lower than the lower limit of the reactive gas flow rate in the hysteresis region, and another layer is sputter deposited while the reactive gas flow rate is set inside the lower and upper limits of the reactive gas flow rate in the hysteresis region. The phase shift film exhibits satisfactory in-plane uniformity of optical properties.

A halftone phase shift film containing Si and N and/or O is deposited on a transparent substrate by reactive sputtering using a silicon-containing target with a reactive gas. Different powers are applied across a plurality of targets so that two different sputtering modes selected from metal, transition and reaction modes associated with a hysteresis curve are applied to the targets. The phase shift film exhibits satisfactory in-plane uniformity of optical properties.

A sputtering equipment is adapted for sputtering substrates, where each of the substrates includes two opposite main surfaces and side surfaces connecting the two main surfaces. The sputtering equipment includes a cavity, at least one target set and a carrier box. The at least one target set is disposed in the cavity, the target set includes targets, and the targets are staggered at both side surfaces of an axis. The carrier box is movably disposed so as to enter and exit the cavity, and includes substrate accommodating grooves. The substrates are adapted for being placed in the substrate accommodating grooves of the carrier box, and at least one side surface of each of the substrates is located outside the carrier box and protrudes toward the at least one target set.