In a film-forming method: a to-be-processed substrate and a target are disposed inside a vacuum chamber; a sputtering gas is introduced into the vacuum chamber; and electric power is charged to the target to sputter the target, thereby forming a film on the surface of the to-be-processed-substrate. A leakage magnetic field is caused to locally act on a lower side of a sputtering surface by means of a magnet unit disposed above the target in case that surface of the target which is sputtered is defined as the sputtering surface and the sputtering-surface side is defined as the lower side. The magnet unit is rotated, during film formation by sputtering, such that a region of action of the leakage magnetic field on the sputtering surface varies continuously. A step is included in which a direction of rotation of the magnet unit in a forward direction and a reverse direction is alternately switched.

So as to control the operation of a sputter target during the lifetime of the target and under HIPIMS operation, part of a magnet arrangement associated to the target is retracted from the target whereas a second part II of the magnet arrangement is, if at all, retracted less from the addressed backside during the lifetime of the target. Thereby, part I is closer to the periphery of target than part II, as both are eccentrically rotated about a rotational axis.

A magnet pack has a permeable assembly with a first cutout for a center magnet and second cutouts for peripheral magnets surrounding the center magnet. A target is attached to the permeable assembly. A heatsink is attached to the target. Emanating magnetic fields from the magnet pack progress from an inner atmospheric side to a position substantially within a vacuum cavity. The emanating magnetic fields from the center magnet are substantially stronger than the emanating magnetic fields from the peripheral magnets.

An apparatus for transportation of a substrate carrier in a vacuum chamber is provided. The apparatus includes a first track providing a first transportation path for the substrate carrier, and a transfer device configured for contactlessly moving the substrate carrier from a first position on the first track to one or more second positions away from the first track. The one or more second positions include at least one of a position on a second track and a process position for processing of a substrate. The transfer device includes at least one first magnet device configured to provide a magnetic force acting on the substrate carrier to contactlessly move the substrate carrier from the first position to the one or more second positions.

An apparatus for transportation of a substrate is provided. The apparatus includes a vacuum chamber having a chamber wall configured to separate a vacuum side from an atmospheric side and a magnetic levitation system configured for a contactless levitation of a substrate carrier in the vacuum chamber. The magnetic levitation system includes at least one magnetic device configured for providing a magnetic force acting on the substrate carrier during transportation of the substrate carrier in the vacuum chamber along a transportation path and at least one holding unit configured to hold the at least one magnetic device being accessible from the atmospheric side.

Disclosed is a substrate treating apparatus for performing a predetermined treatment on a substrate. The apparatus includes: a holding mechanism including a plurality of support pins configured to rotate between a holding position and a delivery position, a first magnetic part configured to rotate the support pins individually between the holding position and the delivery position by switching surrounding magnetic poles, and a second magnetic part configured to rotate the support pins individually to the holding position by constantly applying a magnetic field to the first magnetic part; and a switching mechanism configured to apply no magnetic field of a third magnetic part to the first magnetic part normally and apply a magnetic field of the third magnetic part to the first magnetic part to rotate the support pins individually to the delivery position only when the substrate is delivered.

A film formation apparatus includes a target containing a magnetic material, a support that supports a substrate and locates the substrate in an arrangement region opposing the target, and a magnetic field formation unit located at a side of the arrangement region opposite to the target. The magnetic field formation unit forms a horizontal magnetic field parallel to an oscillation direction, which is one direction extending along the substrate, at a side of the arrangement region where the target is located. The magnetic field formation unit oscillates the horizontal magnetic field in the oscillation direction at least between one end of the arrangement region and another end of the arrangement region in the oscillation direction.

The invention provides a sputter deposition assembly that includes a sputtering chamber, a sputtering target, and a magnet assembly. The magnet assembly includes a two-part magnetic backing plate that includes first and second plate segments, of which at least one is laterally adjustable. Also provided are methods of operating the sputter deposition assembly.

A method and apparatus are for controlling stress variation in a material layer formed via pulsed DC physical vapour deposition. The method includes the steps of providing a chamber having a target from which the material layer is formed and a substrate upon which the material layer is formable, and subsequently introducing a gas within the chamber. The method further includes generating a plasma within the chamber and applying a first magnetic field proximate the target to substantially localise the plasma adjacent the target. An RF bias is applied to the substrate to attract gas ions from the plasma toward the substrate and a second magnetic field is applied proximate the substrate to steer gas ions from the plasma to selective regions upon the material layer formed on the substrate.

Methods and apparatus for processing substrates are disclosed. In some embodiments, a process chamber for processing a substrate includes: a body having an interior volume and a target to be sputtered, the interior volume including a central portion and a peripheral portion; a substrate support disposed in the interior volume opposite the target and having a support surface configured to support the substrate; a collimator disposed in the interior volume between the target and the substrate support; a first magnet disposed about the body proximate the collimator; a second magnet disposed about the body above the support surface and entirely below the collimator and spaced vertically below the first magnet; and a third magnet disposed about the body and spaced vertically between the first magnet and the second magnet. The first, second, and third magnets are configured to generate respective magnetic fields to redistribute ions over the substrate.