A film forming apparatus 1 includes a target TA, a ring-shaped shield member 30 provided between the target TA and a plasma generation unit, and a ring-shaped shield member 40 provided between the target TA and a workpiece holding unit. The target TA includes a cylindrical target member 21 and a backing tube (supporting member) 20 configured to support the target member 21. Each of the shield member 30, the shield member 40, and the target member 21 is stacked in a Z direction around an axis VL1 as a central axis extending in the Z direction, each of the shield member 30, the target member 21, and the shield member 40 is arranged so as to be separated from each other in the Z direction, and an inner diameter D1 of the shield member 30 is smaller than an inner diameter D2 of the target member 21.

A sputtering target-backing plate assembly comprising, a target has a thickness of 2.0 to 15.0 mm is joined to a backing plate, the backing plate has a recessed section having a depth of 0.5 to 5.0 mm on a plate surface, the target is fitted into the recessed section, and the assembly has a swaging structure in which an outer-peripheral-side surface of the target is clamped by a recessed section inner-peripheral-side surface of the backing plate.

A magnetically enhanced plasma apparatus includes a hollow cathode target assembly; an anode positioned on top of the hollow cathode target assembly, thereby forming a gap between the anode and the hollow cathode target assembly; a cathode magnet assembly; a row of magnets that generate a magnetic field in the gap and a magnetic field on a surface of the hollow cathode target assembly with the cathode magnet assembly such that magnetic field lines are substantially perpendicular to a surface of the hollow cathode target assembly; an electrode positioned adjacent to the row of magnets behind the gap; a first radio frequency (RF) power supply coupled to the electrode, wherein the electrode is coupled to ground through an inductor; and a second radio frequency (RF) power supply coupled to the hollow cathode target assembly. The second RF power supply ignites and sustains plasma in the hollow cathode target assembly. A frequency and power of the second RF power supply are selected to increase at least one of a degree of dissociation of feed gas molecules and degree of ionization of feed gas atoms. A frequency and power of the first RF power supply are selected to increase a degree of dissociation of feed gas molecules to form a layer from sputtering hollow cathode target material onto a substrate.

A method of sputtering a layer on a substrate using a high-energy density plasma (HEDP) magnetron includes positioning the magnetron in a vacuum with an anode, cathode target, magnet assembly, substrate, and feed gas; applying unipolar negative direct current (DC) voltage pulses from a pulse power supply with a pulse forming network (PFN) to a pulse converting network (PCN); and adjusting an amplitude and frequency associated with the plurality of unipolar negative DC voltage pulses causing a resonance mode associated with the PCN. The PCN converts the unipolar negative DC voltage pulses to an asymmetric alternating current (AC) signal that generates a high-density plasma discharge on the HEDP magnetron. An increase in amplitude or pulse duration of the plurality of unipolar negative DC voltage pulses causes an increase in the amplitude of a negative voltage of the asymmetric AC signal in response to the PCN being in the resonance mode, thereby causing sputtering discharge associated with the HEDP magnetron to form the layer from the cathode target on the substrate. A corresponding apparatus and computer-readable medium are disclosed.

There is provided a film formation apparatus which forms a film on a substrate by sputtering. The apparatus comprises: a substrate holder configured to hold the substrate; and a plurality of cathodes configured to hold targets that emit sputtered particles, and connected to a power supply. At least one of the plurality of cathodes holds the targets of a plurality of types.

A target structure includes a target, a cooling jacket having a flow path through which a heat exchange medium flows, and a backing plate. The target is bonded to one surface of the cooling jacket. A remaining surface of the cooling jacket and the backing plate are bonded in a peripheral portion, and are not bonded in a non-bonding region inside the peripheral portion.

A method is provided. The method includes the following steps: introducing a first physical vapor deposition (PVD) target and a second PVD target in a PVD system, the first PVD target containing a boron-containing cobalt iron alloy (FeCoB) with an initial boron concentration, and the second PVD target containing boron; determining parameters of the PVD system based on a target boron concentration larger than the initial boron concentration; and depositing a FeCoB film on a substrate according to the parameters of the PVD system.

A sputtering target assembly, sputtering apparatus, and method, the target assembly including a backing plate having an aperture formed therein; and a target bonded to a front surface of the backing plate. The aperture is disposed on the backing plate such that a first end of the aperture is sealed by a portion of the target that is predicted by a sputtering target erosion profile to have the highest etching rate during a corresponding sputtering process.

A physical vapor deposition processing chamber is described. The processing chamber includes a target backing plate in a top portion of the processing chamber, a substrate support in a bottom portion of the processing chamber, a deposition ring positioned at an outer periphery of the substrate support and a shield. The substrate support has a support surface spaced a distance from the target backing plate to form a process cavity. The shield forms an outer bound of the process cavity. In-chamber cleaning methods are also described. In an embodiment, the method includes closing a bottom gas flow path of a processing chamber to a process cavity, flowing an inert gas from the bottom gas flow path, flowing a reactant into the process cavity through an opening in the shield, and evacuating the reaction gas from the process cavity.

A PVD method includes tilting a first magnetic element over a back side of a target. The first magnetic element is moved about an axis that extends through the target. Then, charged ions are attracted to bombard the target, such that particles are ejected from the target and are deposited over a surface of a wafer. By tilting the magnetic element relative to the target, the distribution of the magnetic fields can be more random and uniform.