The present application provides a preparation method of a hydrogenated composite film and an optical filter, and relates to the field of optical film filter technologies. The preparation method includes: introducing inert gas and hydrogen into a reaction chamber, and bombarding at least two materials in the reaction chamber and the introduced hydrogen using plasma formed by the inert gas, such that the at least two materials are sputtered onto a substrate and react with hydrogen ions generated by the hydrogen to form a hydrogenated composite film layer. The hydrogenated composite film layer includes at least two materials which are co-sputtered onto the same substrate using the sputtering technology to obtain a required material performance, so as to obtain the hydrogenated composite film layer with a refractive index greater than 3.5 and an extinction coefficient less than 0.005 under a wavelength of 700 nm to 1800 nm.

The present disclosure concerns sputter targets and sputtering methods. In particular, sputter targets and methods of sputtering using conventional sputter targets as well as sputter targets described herein, for highly uniform sputter deposition, are described.

A an apparatus includes a processing chamber configured to house a workpiece, a target holder in the processing chamber, a first magnetic element positioned over a backside of the target holder, a first arm assembly connected to the first magnetic element, a rotational shaft, and a first hinge mechanism connecting the rotational shaft and the first arm assembly.

A sputtering system and a sputtering method are provided. The sputtering system includes a first electrode, a magnet and a second electrode. The first electrode is an elongated tube having a first end and a second end downstream of the first end. The first end is configured to receive a gas flow and the second end is placed next to a substrate. The magnet surrounds at least a portion of the elongated tube and is configured to generate a magnetic field in a space within the elongated tube. The second electrode is disposed within the elongated tube. A voltage is configured to be applied between the first and second electrodes to generate an electric field between the first and second electrodes.

Apparatus for physical vapor deposition are provided herein. In some embodiments, a clamp for use in a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber includes a clamp body and an outwardly extending shelf that extends from the clamp body, wherein the outwardly extending shelf includes a clamping surface configured to clamp an isolator ring to a chamber body of the PVD chamber, wherein a height of the outwardly extending shelf is about 15 percent to about 40 percent of a height of the clamp body and wherein the clamp body includes a central opening configured to retain a fastener therein.

Provided is a cylindrical sputtering target made of a metal material, which has reduced particles. The sputtering target includes at least a target material, wherein the target material includes one or more metal elements, and has a crystal grain size of 10 μm or less.

Methods and apparatus for cleaning a process kit configured for processing a substrate are provided. For example, a process chamber for processing a substrate can include a chamber wall; a sputtering target disposed in an upper section of the inner volume; a pedestal including a substrate support having a support surface to support a substrate below the sputtering target; a power source configured to energize sputtering gas for forming a plasma in the inner volume; a process kit surrounding the sputtering target and the substrate support; and an ACT connected to the pedestal and a controller configured to tune the pedestal using the ACT to maintain a predetermined potential difference between the plasma in the inner volume and the process kit, wherein the predetermined potential difference is based on a percentage of total capacitance of the ACT and a stray capacitance associated with a grounding path of the process chamber.

Evaporation source, in particular for use in a sputtering process or in a vacuum arc evaporation process, preferably a cathode vacuum arc evaporation process. The evaporation source includes an inner base body which is arranged in an outer carrier body and which is arranged with respect to the outer carrier body such that a cooling space in flow communication with an inlet and an outlet is formed between the base body and the carrier body. In accordance with the invention, the cooling space includes an inflow space and an outflow space, and the inflow space is in flow communication with the outflow space via an overflow connection for the cooling of the evaporation source such that a cooling fluid can be conveyed from the inlet via the inflow space the overflow connection and the outflow space to the outlet.

An apparatus has a cathode target with a cathode target outer perimeter. An inner magnet array with an inner magnet array inner perimeter is within the cathode target outer perimeter. The inner magnet array includes an inner magnet array base portion and an inner magnet array upper portion. A keeper plate assembly is connected to the inner magnet array upper portion and isolates the inner magnet array upper portion from the inner magnet array base portion. An outer magnet array is connected to a bottom surface of the keeper plate. The outer magnet array has an outer magnet array outer perimeter larger than the inner magnet array inner perimeter. The inner magnet array upper portion has a first magnetic orientation and the outer magnet array and the inner magnet array base portion have a second magnetic orientation opposite the first magnetic orientation.

Described are methods of fabricating lithium sputter targets, lithium sputter targets, associated handling apparatus, and sputter methods including lithium targets. Various embodiments address adhesion of the lithium metal target to a support structure, avoiding and/or removing passivating coatings formed on the lithium target, uniformity of the lithium target as well as efficient cooling of lithium during sputtering. Target configurations used to compensate for non-uniformities in sputter plasma are described. Modular format lithium tiles and methods of fabrication are described. Rotary lithium sputter targets are also described.