Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a mask structure and a filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) apparatus. The mask structure is configured to prepare protrusions on a carrying surface of an electrostatic chuck and includes a main mask plate and a side mask plate that are made of a conductive metal. The main mask plate is configured to form a patterned film layer corresponding to the protrusions on the carrying surface of the electrostatic chuck. The side mask is configured to cover a side surface of the electrostatic chuck to avoid forming a film layer on the side surface. The mask structure can be electrically conductive. The mask structure may prevent the side surface of the electrostatic chuck from being coated when the protrusions are prepared on the carrying surface of the electrostatic chuck. Thus, the mask structure may be applied to an FCVA process.

The alignment mechanism of the present disclosure is configured to adjust positions of a substrate and a mask, the alignment mechanism being characterized by including a substrate suctioner configured to suction and hold the substrate; a mask supporter configured to support the mask; a temporary receiver configured to temporarily support at least one of the substrate to be suctioned by the substrate suctioner and the mask to be placed on the mask supporter, the temporary receiver being provided at the mask supporter; a horizontal coarse movement stage mechanism that carries the mask supporter and the temporary receiver and moves the mask supporter and the temporary receiver within the horizontal plane; and a vertical coarse movement stage mechanism that raises and lowers the horizontal coarse movement stage mechanism.

The invention provides a film formation apparatus that includes: a transfer unit that transfers a substrate; a film formation unit that forms an electrolyte film on a film formation region of the substrate transferred by the transfer unit; and an extraneous-material removal unit that comes into contact with the electrolyte film of the substrate transferred by the transfer unit after film formation of the film formation unit and thereby removes extraneous materials contained in the film formation region.

The invention provides a film formation apparatus that includes: a transfer unit that transfers a substrate; a film formation unit that forms an electrolyte film on a film formation region of the substrate transferred by the transfer unit; and an extraneous-material removal unit that comes into contact with the electrolyte film of the substrate transferred by the transfer unit after film formation of the film formation unit and thereby removes extraneous materials contained in the film formation region.

Substrate coating systems and methods are disclosed. A substrate coating system comprises a deposition chamber enclosing at least a first electrode and a second electrode and a power supply coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode. The power supply is configured to apply a first voltage at the first electrode that alternates between positive and negative during each of multiple cycles to sputter target material from the electrodes onto a substrate positioned on the substrate support. A non-contact voltmeter is positioned above the substrate support to provide a sensor signal indicative of a voltage of a layer of the sputtered target material without mechanically contacting the layer, and a controller is configured to receive the sensor signal from the non-contact voltmeter and at least one of provide an alarm or adjust an application of power to the first and second electrodes in response to the signal.

Substrate coating systems and methods are disclosed. A substrate coating system comprises a deposition chamber enclosing at least a first electrode and a second electrode and a power supply coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode. The power supply is configured to apply a first voltage at the first electrode that alternates between positive and negative during each of multiple cycles to sputter target material from the electrodes onto a substrate positioned on the substrate support. A non-contact voltmeter is positioned above the substrate support to provide a sensor signal indicative of a voltage of a layer of the sputtered target material without mechanically contacting the layer, and a controller is configured to receive the sensor signal from the non-contact voltmeter and at least one of provide an alarm or adjust an application of power to the first and second electrodes in response to the signal.

The purpose of the present invention is to improve uniformity of film deposition by a plasma-based sputtering device. Provided is a sputtering device 100 for depositing a film on a substrate W through sputtering of targets T by using plasma P, said sputtering device being provided with a vacuum chamber 2 which can be evacuated to a vacuum and into which a gas is to be introduced; a substrate holding part 3 for holding the substrate W inside the vacuum chamber 2; target holding parts 4 for holding the targets T inside the vacuum chamber 2; multiple antennas 5 which are arranged along a surface of the substrate W held by the substrate holding part 3 and generate plasma P; and a reciprocal scanning mechanism 14 for scanning back and forth the substrate holding part 3 along the arrangement direction X of the multiple antennas 5.

The purpose of the present invention is to improve uniformity of film deposition by a plasma-based sputtering device. Provided is a sputtering device 100 for depositing a film on a substrate W through sputtering of targets T by using plasma P, said sputtering device being provided with a vacuum chamber 2 which can be evacuated to a vacuum and into which a gas is to be introduced; a substrate holding part 3 for holding the substrate W inside the vacuum chamber 2; target holding parts 4 for holding the targets T inside the vacuum chamber 2; multiple antennas 5 which are arranged along a surface of the substrate W held by the substrate holding part 3 and generate plasma P; and a reciprocal scanning mechanism 14 for scanning back and forth the substrate holding part 3 along the arrangement direction X of the multiple antennas 5.

A deposition system is disclosed that allows for growth of inclined c-axis piezoelectric material structures. The system integrates various sputtering modules to yield high quality films and is designed to optimize throughput lending it to a high-volume in manufacturing environment. The system includes two or more process modules including an off-axis module constructed to deposit material at an inclined c-axis and a longitudinal module constructed to deposit material at normal incidence; a central wafer transfer unit including a load lock, a vacuum chamber, and a robot disposed within the vacuum chamber and constructed to transfer a wafer substrate between the central wafer transfer unit and the two or more process modules; and a control unit operatively connected to the robot.

A deposition system is disclosed that allows for growth of inclined c-axis piezoelectric material structures. The system integrates various sputtering modules to yield high quality films and is designed to optimize throughput lending it to a high-volume in manufacturing environment. The system includes two or more process modules including an off-axis module constructed to deposit material at an inclined c-axis and a longitudinal module constructed to deposit material at normal incidence; a central wafer transfer unit including a load lock, a vacuum chamber, and a robot disposed within the vacuum chamber and constructed to transfer a wafer substrate between the central wafer transfer unit and the two or more process modules; and a control unit operatively connected to the robot.