This invention relates to the in-vacuum rotational device on a cylindrical magnetron sputtering source where the target or target elements of the target construction of such device are enabled to rotate without the need of a vacuum to atmosphere or vacuum to coolant dynamic seal. This invention relates to the use of the device in vacuum plasma technology where a plasma discharge, or any other appropriate source of energy such as arcs, laser, which can be applied to the target or in its vicinity would produce suitable coating deposition or plasma treatment on components of different nature. This invention also relates but not exclusively to the use of the device in sputtering, magnetron sputtering, arc, plasma polymerization, laser ablation and plasma etching. This invention also relates to the use of such devices and control during non-reactive and reactive processes, with or without feedback plasma process control. This invention also relates to the arrangement of these devices as a singularity or a plurality of units. This invention also relates to the target construction which can be used in such device. This invention also relates to the use of these devices in different power modes such as DC, DC pulsed, RF, AC, AC dual, HIPIMS, or any other powering mode in order to generate a plasma, such as sputtering plasma, plasma arc, electron beam evaporation, plasma polymerization plasma, plasma treatment or any other plasma generated for the purpose of a process, for example, and not exclusively, as deposition process or surface treatment process, etc.

Described are methods of fabricating lithium sputter targets, lithium sputter targets, associated handling apparatus, and sputter methods including lithium targets. Various embodiments address adhesion of the lithium metal target to a support structure, avoiding and/or removing passivating coatings formed on the lithium target, uniformity of the lithium target as well as efficient cooling of lithium during sputtering. Target configurations used to compensate for non-uniformities in sputter plasma are described. Modular format lithium tiles and methods of fabrication are described. Rotary lithium sputter targets are also described.

Methods and systems for depositing a thin film are disclosed. The methods and systems can be used to deposit a film having a uniform thickness on a substrate surface that has a non-planar three-dimensional geometry, such as a curved surface. The methods involve the use of a deposition source that has a shape in accordance with the non-planar three-dimensional geometry of the substrate surface. In some embodiments, multiple layers of films are deposited onto each other forming multi-layered coatings. In some embodiments, the multi-layered coatings are antireflective (AR) coatings for windows or lenses.

A lithium cobalt oxide sintered body having a bending strength of 100 MPa or more, and a sputtering target formed using the sintered body are provided. In particular, a cylindrical sputtering target for use in rotary sputtering is provided. The sputtering target is useful in forming a cathode material thin film in an all-solid thin film lithium ion secondary battery for use in vehicles, telecommunication equipment and household equipment.

Various embodiments provide Molten Target Sputtering (MTS) methods and devices. The various embodiments may provide increases in the kinetic energy, increases in the energy latency, and/or increases in the flux density of molecules for better crystal formation at low temperature operation. The various embodiment MTS methods and devices may enable the growth of a single crystal Si.sub.1-xGe.sub.x film on a substrate heated to less than about 500° C. The various embodiment MTS methods and devices may provide increases in the kinetic energy, increases in the energy latency, and/or increases in the flux density of molecules without requiring the addition of extra systems.

A magnetron sputtering electrode for use in a rotatable cylindrical magnetron sputtering device, the electrode including a cathode body defining a magnet receiving chamber and a cylindrical target surrounding the cathode body. The target is rotatable about the cathode body. A magnet arrangement is received within the magnet receiving chamber, the magnet arrangement including a plurality of magnets. A shunt is secured to the cathode body and proximate to a side of the magnet arrangement, the shunt extending in a plane substantially parallel to the side of the magnet arrangement. A method of fine-tuning a magnetron sputtering electrode in a rotatable cylindrical magnetron sputtering device is also disclosed.

An endblock for a rotatable sputtering target, such as a rotatable magnetron sputtering target, is provided. A sputtering apparatus, including one or more such endblock(s), includes locating the electrical contact(s) (e.g., brush(es)) between the collector and rotor in the endblock(s) in an area under vacuum (as opposed to in an area at atmospheric pressure).

The present invention relates to novel and improved high purity diffusion bonded copper (Cu) sputtering targets having a Cu purity level of 99.9999% (6N) or greater. The target assemblies of the present invention exhibit sufficient bond strength and microstructural homogeneity, both of which are properties previously considered mutually exclusive for conventional 6N Cu target assemblies. The grain structure is characterized by an absence of alloying elements and the bonded interface is generally flat without any type of interlayer or interlocking arrangement.

Conventional electrochromic devices frequently suffer from poor reliability and poor performance. Improvements are made using entirely solid and inorganic materials. Electrochromic devices are fabricated by forming an ion conducting electronically-insulating interfacial region that serves as an IC layer. In some methods, the interfacial region is formed after formation of an electrochromic and a counter electrode layer. The interfacial region contains an ion conducting electronically-insulating material along with components of the electrochromic and/or the counter electrode layer. Materials and microstructure of the electrochromic devices provide improvements in performance and reliability over conventional devices. In various embodiments, a counter electrode is fabricated to include a base anodically coloring material and one or more additives.

A target device for a magnetic spattering coating device includes: a spattering target fixture; a target bearing plate installed on the spattering target fixture, for bearing a target; a magnetic pole device fixed on one surface of the spattering target fixture backing toward the target bearing plate, for producing a horizontal magnetic field on one surface of the target. A predetermined interval is formed between the magnetic pole device and corresponding margins of the target bearing plate. The present invention can not only enhances utilization of the target but also makes the thin film deposited on the substrate highly well-distributed.