Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a substrate processing system. In one embodiment, the system includes a chamber, a target disposed within the chamber, a magnetron disposed proximate the target, a pedestal disposed within the chamber, and a first gas injector disposed at a sidewall of the chamber, the first gas injector having a movable gas outlet.

A gas ring for a PVD-source with a cathode having a target for material deposition. The gas ring includes an inner rim and an outer rim and at least one flange between the inner and the outer rim. The gas ring further includes: —a gas inlet; —gas openings arranged circumferentially in or near the inner rim; —at least one circumferential gas channel connected to the gas inlet and/or the gas openings; —a cooling duct.

Whenever substrates are rotationally and continuously conveyed in a vacuum recipient around a common axis and past a magnetron sputter source, sputtering of the target, rotating around a central target axis, by the stationary magnetron plasma is adapted to the azimuthal extents radially differently spaced areas of the substrates become exposed to the target thereby improving homogeneity of deposited layer thickness on the substrates and ensuring that the complete sputter surface of the target is net-sputtered.

A strain gauge includes a flexible substrate and a functional layer formed of a metal, an alloy, or a metal compound, the functional layer being directly on one surface of the substrate. The strain gauge includes a resistor formed of a film that includes Cr, CrN, and Cr.sub.2N and that is formed with α-Cr as a main component. The functional layer includes a function of promoting crystal growth of α-Cr and forming an α-Cr based film.

A sputtering apparatus includes a rotary target extending in a first direction, a gas supply bar disposed on the rotary target, and a substrate holder positioned opposite the gas supply bar with respect to the rotary target. The gas supply bar includes a first flow path extending in the first direction, and a second flow path spaced apart from the first flow path in the first direction and separated from the first flow path.

A strain gauge includes a flexible substrate and a functional layer formed of a metal, an alloy, or a metal compound, the functional layer being directly on one surface of the substrate. The strain gauge includes a resistor formed of a film that includes Cr, CrN, and Cr.sub.2N and that is formed with α-Cr as a main component. The functional layer includes a function of promoting crystal growth of α-Cr and forming an α-Cr based film.

A method for establishing a desired distribution of partial gas pressure along a surface of a substrate when vacuum treating such substrate includes feeding a gas towards the substrate through openings distributed all along the entire periphery of the substrate. The gas is fed or removed at a gas line which communicates exclusively with a set of the openings.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a substrate processing system. In one embodiment, the system includes a chamber, a target disposed within the chamber, a magnetron disposed proximate the target, a pedestal disposed within the chamber, and a first gas injector disposed at a sidewall of the chamber, the first gas injector having a movable gas outlet.

Reactive sputter deposition method and system are disclosed, in which a catalyst gas, such as water vapor, is used to increase the overall deposition rate substantially without compromising formation of a dielectric compound layer and its optical transmission. Addition to the sputtering or reactive gas of the catalyst gas can result in an increase of a deposition rate of the dielectric oxide film substantially without increasing an optical absorption of the film.

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.