A sputtering target contains Ge, Sb, and Te and has a high-oxygen region with a high oxygen concentration and a low-oxygen region having a lower oxygen concentration than the high-oxygen region, and has a structure in which the low-oxygen regions are dispersed in island form in a matrix of the high-oxygen region. In the sputtering target, voids with a diameter of 0.5 μm or more and 5.0 μm or less may be present in a range of 2 or more and 10 or less in a range of 0.12 mm.sup.2 for the average density.

A sputtering target including Ge, Sb, and Te, in which a content of C is set in a range of 0.2 atom % or more and 10 atom % or less, an oxygen content is set to 1000 ppm or less by mass, carbon particles are dispersed in a Ge—Sb—Te phase, and an average particle size of the carbon particles is in a range of more than 0.5 μm and 5.0 μm or less.

A target for a cathode sputtering system has a tubular target body made of a sputtering material and at least one connector piece, which is connected to the target body and projects from the target body, for attaching the target body to the cathode sputtering system. The target body is connected to the at least one connector piece in a vacuum-tight manner and the two are rotationally fixed relative to one another. At least one damper element is provided between the at least one connector piece and the target body.

Provided is a sputtering target capable of reducing generation of particles, and a method for producing the same. The sputtering target includes: 10 mol % or more and 85 mol % or less of Co, 0 mol % or more and 47 mol % or less of Pt, and 0 mol % or more and 47 mol % or less of Cr, as metal components; and at least B.sub.6O as an oxide component.

A film forming apparatus includes a processing container, a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate inside the processing container, a cathode unit disposed above the substrate holder, and a gas introducing mechanism configured to introduce a plasma generating gas into the processing container. The cathode unit includes a target, a power supply configured to supply electric power to the target, a magnet provided on a rear side of the target, and a magnet driving part configured to drive the magnet. The magnet driving part includes an oscillation driver configured to oscillate the magnet along the target, and a perpendicular driver configured to drive the magnet in a direction perpendicular to a main surface of the target independently of driving performed by the oscillation driver. Sputtered particles are deposited on the substrate by magnetron sputtering.

A sputtering target structure includes a body having a first side and an opposing second side. A first sputtering target is coupled to the first side of the body. The first sputtering target includes a first material. A second sputtering target is coupled to the second side of the body. The second sputtering target includes a second material. A rotation mechanism is coupled to the body and is configured to allow rotation of the body from a first orientation to a second orientation.

Provided are a sputtering target that makes it possible to form a chalcogenide material film with enhanced heat resistance, a method of manufacturing the sputtering target, and a memory device manufacturing method. The sputtering target includes an alloy containing a first component containing arsenic and selenium and a second component containing at least one of boron and carbon.

A sputtering target containing silicon nitride (Si.sub.3N.sub.4) with reduced specific resistance of is provided. A sputtering target including Si.sub.3N.sub.4, SiC, MgO and TiCN, wherein a specific resistance of the sputtering target is 10 mΩ.Math.cm or less.

Provided is a niobium sputtering target having improved film thickness uniformity throughout the target life.

In the niobium sputtering target, a rate of change in a {111} area ratio of each of an upper, central, and lower portions of the sputtering target, as represented by the following equation (2), is 2.5 or less, and the {111} area ratio of each of the upper, central and lower portions is determined by dividing a cross section of a plate-shaped sputtering target perpendicular to a sputtering surface into three equal portions: the upper portion, the central portion and the lower portion from a sputtering surface side in a normal direction of the sputtering surface at an intermediate position between a center and an outer circumference of the sputtering surface of the plate-shaped sputtering target, and measuring a crystal orientation distribution of each of measured regions of the upper portion, the central portion, and the lower portion using an EBSD method:

the {111} area ratio=total area of crystal grains having a {111} plane oriented in the normal direction in the measured regions/total area of the measured regions  Equation (1);

the rate of change=[maximum value−minimum value]/minimum value  Equation (2).

A novel metal oxide or a novel sputtering target is provided. A sputtering target includes a conductive material and an insulating material. The insulating material includes an oxide, a nitride, or an oxynitride including an element M1. The element M1 is one or more kinds of elements selected from Al, Ga, Si, Mg, Zr, Be, and B. The conductive material includes an oxide, a nitride, or an oxynitride including indium and zinc. A metal oxide film is deposited using the sputtering target in which the conductive material and the insulating material are separated from each other.