An advanced sputter target is disclosed. The advanced sputter target comprises two components, a porous carrier, and a metal material disposed within that porous carrier. The porous carrier is designed to be a high porosity, open cell structure such that molten material may flow through the carrier. The porous carrier also provides structural support for the metal material. The cell sizes of the porous carrier are dimensioned such that the capillary action and surface tension prohibits the metal material from spilling, dripping, or otherwise exiting the porous carrier. In some embodiments, the porous carrier is an open cell foam, a weave of strands or stacked meshes.

A substrate processing apparatus includes: a tray provided in a vacuum processing container and having a recess that accommodates a target made of a low-melting-point material; a refrigerator that cools the tray; a substrate holder that holds a substrate; a reversal driver that reverses the position of the substrate holder upside down; and a rotation driver that rotates the substrate holder in a circumferential direction of the substrate.

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 sputtering device to sputter a liquid target. The sputtering device including a trough to receive a liquid target material and a device to stir or agitate the liquid target material. The device configured to degas the liquid target material or/and to dissipate solid particles or islands on a surface of the target or/and to move such particles or islands from an active surface region to a passive surface region and/or vice-versa, whereby the passive surface region is at least 50% less exposed to sputtering as the active surface region.

A method of forming a lithium coating on a substrate, the method comprising: melting a solid lithium target to form a molten lithium target; agitating the molten lithium target; vaporising at least part of the agitated molten lithium target to form a vaporised material; and condensing the vaporised material on a substrate to form a lithium coating.

An advanced sputter target is disclosed. The advanced sputter target comprises two components, a porous carrier, and a metal material disposed within that porous carrier. The porous carrier is designed to be a high porosity, open cell structure such that molten material may flow through the carrier. The porous carrier also provides structural support for the metal material. The cell sizes of the porous carrier are dimensioned such that the capillary action and surface tension prohibits the metal material from spilling, dripping, or otherwise exiting the porous carrier. In some embodiments, the porous carrier is an open cell foam, a weave of strands or stacked meshes.

An advanced sputter target is disclosed. The advanced sputter target comprises two components, a porous carrier, and a metal material disposed within that porous carrier. The porous carrier is designed to be a high porosity, open cell structure such that molten material may flow through the carrier. The porous carrier also provides structural support for the metal material. The cell sizes of the porous carrier are dimensioned such that the capillary action and surface tension prohibits the metal material from spilling, dripping, or otherwise exiting the porous carrier. In some embodiments, the porous carrier is an open cell foam, a weave of strands or stacked meshes.

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.

An advanced sputter target is disclosed. The advanced sputter target comprises two components, a porous carrier, and a metal material disposed within that porous carrier. The porous carrier is designed to be a high porosity, open cell structure such that molten material may flow through the carrier. The porous carrier also provides structural support for the metal material. The cell sizes of the porous carrier are dimensioned such that the capillary action and surface tension prohibits the metal material from spilling, dripping, or otherwise exiting the porous carrier. In some embodiments, the porous carrier is an open cell foam, a weave of strands or stacked meshes.

A sputtering device to sputter a liquid target. The sputtering device including a trough to receive a liquid target material and a device to stir or agitate the liquid target material. The device configured to degas the liquid target material or/and to dissipate solid particles or islands on a surface of the target or/and to move such particles or islands from an active surface region to a passive surface region and/or vice-versa, whereby the passive surface region is at least 50% less exposed to sputtering as the active surface region.