In various embodiments, an end block assembly for rotatably mounting a tubular electrode in a processing chamber is provided. The end block assembly includes a receptacle region for receiving a bearing assembly which has a coupling region for coupling the tubular electrode thereto, the bearing assembly of which the coupling region is supported by a sleeve of the bearing assembly. The sleeve is plug-fitted into the receptacle region. The sleeve is joined together from a plurality of segments, the external faces thereof forming a lateral surface of the bearing assembly and at least two segments thereof being formed from dissimilar materials. The external faces of the two segments are mutually aligned such that they are flush with one another.

An object is to extend the life of the target member. The target (TA2) is designed to have a symmetrical structure so as to realize an invertible configuration. According to this, even if the consumption of the target member (71) is large on the side closer to the plasma generation unit where the plasma density is high, the portion of the target member (71) which has been located on the side closer to the film formation object where the plasma density is low and is thus consumed less can be rearranged on the side closer to the plasma generation unit where the plasma density is high, by inverting the target (TA2).

This sputtering cathode has a sputtering target having a tubular shape in which the cross-sectional shape thereof has a pair of long side sections facing each other, and an erosion surface facing inward. Using the sputtering target, while moving a body to be film-formed, which has a film formation region having a narrower width than the long side sections of the sputtering target, parallel to one end face of the sputtering target and at a constant speed in a direction perpendicular to the long side sections above a space surrounded by the sputtering target, discharge is performed such that a plasma circulating along the inner surface of the sputtering target is generated, and the inner surface of the long side sections of the sputtering target is sputtered by ions in the plasma generated by a sputtering gas to perform film formation in the film formation region of the body to be film-formed.

Nanoparticle deposition systems including one or more of: a hollow target of a material; at least one rotating magnet providing a magnetic field that controls movement of ions and crystallization of nanoparticles from released atoms; a nanoparticle collection device that collects crystallized nanoparticles on a substrate, wherein relative motion between the substrate and at least a target continuously expose new surface areas of the substrate to the crystallized nanoparticles; a hollow anode with a target at least partially inside the hollow anode; or a first nanoparticle source providing first nanoparticles of a first material and a second nanoparticle source providing second nanoparticles of a second material.

A film deposition apparatus comprises: a vacuum chamber; a cylindrical target, a circumferential surface of the target being opposite to a substrate, and the target being disposed in the vacuum chamber so as to intersect a conveyance direction of the substrate; a driving unit configured to rotatively drive the target; a magnetic field creator disposed inside the target; a reactive gas flow unit configured to flow a reactive gas, the reactive gas flow unit being disposed in the vicinity of the target; an optical emission monitor configured to monitor an optical emission intensity of plasma at a location between the substrate and the target and in the vicinity of the target; and a controlling unit configured to control a rotation speed of the target driven by the driving unit, such that the optical emission intensity monitored by the optical emission monitor approaches a preset target optical emission intensity.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing a tubular article, comprising (a) providing a carrier tube, (b) providing a metal coating on the carrier tube by applying a liquid metal phase onto the carrier tube and solidifying the liquid metal phase, (c) applying a contact pressure to the metal coating by at least one densification tool, and moving the densification tool and the metal coating relative to each other.

A process for the formation of an LiM0.sub.2 (e.g., LiCoO.sub.2) sputtering target with a bi-modal grain size distribution (as in a hollow cylinder target body) that includes a CIP-based process involving, for example, forming or sourcing an LiMO.sub.2 (e.g., LiCoO.sub.2) powder; dispersion and milling (e.g., wet milling); binder introduction; drying (e.g., spray drying) to form a granulate; CIP processing of the granulate into a molded shape; and a heating cycle for debinding and sintering to form a densified sintered shape. The target body produced is suited for inclusion on a sputtering target assembly (as in a rotary sputtering target assembly with a plurality of cylindrical target bodies attached to a backing support). The invention is inclusive of the resultant target bodies formed under the CIP based process as well as an induction heater based process for attachment (e.g., metal solder bonding) of the low conductivity target body(ies) of LiMO.sub.2 (e.g., LiCoO.sub.2) to a common backing support through use of an added conductive wrap or layer provided to the target body and heated with the induction heater during the attachment process.

A sputtering target assembly formed by relative positioning of a sputtering target body or bodies and a backing support, such that the backing support is placed within the inside diameter of the sputtering target body. The combination is heated with an induction heater surrounding the target body so that there is achieved a suitable temperature for bonding. Heating is discontinued such that there is a cooling of the bonding material and a bonding relationship established between the sputtering target body (or bodies) and the backing support. Embodiments include adding a conductive layer, as in a conductive fabric wrap, between the induction heater and internal target body(ies) that is/are inductively heated in a manner that enhances axial and radial gradient heating during bonding. The conductive wrap can be used with a low conductivity material as in an LiMO.sub.2 (e.g., LiCoO.sub.2) target body. A non-adhesive protective wrap can also be placed about the target body such as between the conductive wrap and target body.

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).

Some embodiments provide a magnetron sputtering apparatus including a vacuum chamber within which a controlled environment may be established, a target comprising one or more sputterable materials, wherein the target includes a racetrack-shaped sputtering zone that extends longitudinally along a longitudinal axis and comprises a straightaway area sandwiched between a first turnaround area and a second turnaround area, a gas distribution system that supplies a first gas mixture to the first turnaround area and/or the second turnaround area and supplies a second gas mixture to the straightaway area, wherein the first gas mixture reduces a sputtering rate relative to the second gas mixture. In some cases, the first gas mixture includes inert gas having a first atomic weight and the second gas mixture includes inert gas having a second atomic weight, wherein the second atomic weight is heavier than the first atomic weight.