A structure including a metal nitride layer is formed on a workpiece by pre-conditioning a chamber that includes a metal target by flowing nitrogen gas and an inert gas at a first flow rate ratio into the chamber and igniting a plasma in the chamber before placing the workpiece in the chamber, evacuating the chamber after the preconditioning, placing the workpiece on a workpiece support in the chamber after the preconditioning, and performing physical vapor deposition of a metal nitride layer on the workpiece in the chamber by flowing nitrogen gas and the inert gas at a second flow rate ratio into the chamber and igniting a plasma in the chamber. The second flow rate ratio is less than the first flow rate ratio.

Provided is a sputtering apparatus which is capable of suppressing a local temperature rise at an outer peripheral part of a to-be-processed substrate. The sputtering apparatus SM has: a vacuum chamber [[1]] in which a target [[2]] and the to-be-processed substrate Sw are disposed face-to-face with each other; a shield plate [[5]] for enclosing a film forming space [[1a]] between the target and the to-be-processed substrate; and a cooling unit for cooling the shield plate. The shield plate [[5]] has a first shield plate part [[5a]] which is disposed around the to-be-processed substrate and which has a first opening [[51]] equivalent in contour to the to-be-processed substrate. The cooling unit includes a first coolant passage [[55]] which is disposed in the first shield plate part and which has a passage portion [[55a]] extending all the way to the first shield plate part positioned around the first opening.

A deposition apparatus includes a shield member having a lattice shape in a plan view, the lattice shape including short side edges extending along a first direction and long side edges extending along a second direction, the short side edges including first and second short side edges, a bracket member including a first bracket member coupled to the first short side edge, and a second bracket member coupled to the second short side edge, a plurality of anode bars extending along the second direction and stably placed on each of the first bracket member and the second bracket member, and a target member covering the plurality of anode bars. An anode bar of the plurality of anode bars protrudes outward beyond at least one of the first bracket member and the second bracket member, and the anode bar is physically separated from the shield member by the bracket member.

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.

The sputtering cathode has a tubular shape having a pair of long sides facing each other in cross-sectional shape, has a sputtering target whose erosion surface faces inward, and a magnetic circuit is provided along the sputtering target. The pair of long sides are constituted by rotary targets each having a cylindrical shape. The rotary target is internally provided with a magnetic circuit and configured to allow the flow of cooling water. The magnetic circuit is provided parallel to the central axis of the rotary target and has a rectangular cross-sectional shape having a long side perpendicular to the radial direction of the rotary target.

A shield cooling assembly includes an adapter configured to fix a shield in the chamber. The adapter includes a first surface and a second surface facing an outer side surface of the shield and a bottom surface of a bottom wall of the shield, respectively. A predetermined gap is provided between the first surface and the outer side surface of the shield. The second surface is in contact with the bottom surface of the bottom wall of the shield. The adapter is provided with a cooling channel for transmitting a cooling medium to cool the shield.

A sputtering magnetron apparatus is provided. Another aspect employs a set of magnet assembly that forms a magnetic field over the target surface to confine electrons. A further aspect of a sputtering magnetron includes a side dark space shield that is made of magnetic metal which shunts the magnetic flux leaking from the side to prevent the formation of a secondary plasma around the dark space shield when it operates simultaneously with another plasma source.

An article has a body having a protective coating. The protective coating is a thin film that includes a metal oxy-fluoride. The metal oxy-fluoride has an empirical formula of M.sub.xO.sub.yF.sub.z, where M is a metal, y has a value of 0.1 to 1.9 times a value of x and z has a value of 0.1 to 3.9 times the value of x. The protective coating has a thickness of 1 to 30 microns and a porosity of less than 0.1%.

Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate using improved shield configurations are provided herein. For example, a process kit for use in a physical vapor deposition chamber comprises a shield comprising an inner wall comprising an upper portion having a first wavy fin configuration and a bottom portion having a second wavy fin configuration different from the first wavy fin configuration such that a surface area of the shield is about 1400 in.sup.2 to about 1410 in.sup.2.

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.