The PVD apparatus includes a chamber, a plurality of stages, a first target holder, a power supply mechanism, and a shield. The plurality of stages are provided inside the chamber, and each of the plurality of stages is configured to place at least one substrate on an upper surface thereof. The first target holder is configured to hold at least one target provided for one stage, the target being exposed to a space inside the chamber. The power supply mechanism supplies power to the target via the first target holder. The shield is provided inside the chamber and a part of the shield is disposed between a first stage and a second stage in the plurality of stages, and between a first processing space on the first stage and a second processing space on the second stage.

A magnetron plasma apparatus boosted by hollow cathode plasma includes at least one electrically connected pair of a first hollow cathode plate and a second hollow cathode plate placed opposite to each other at a separation distance of at least 0.1 mm and having an opening following an outer edge of a sputter erosion zone on a magnetron target so that a magnetron magnetic field forms a perpendicular magnetic component inside a hollow cathode slit between plates and, wherein the plates and are connected to a first electric power generator together with the magnetron target to generate a magnetically enhanced hollow cathode plasma in at least one of a first working gas distributed in the hollow cathode slit and a second working gas admitted outside the slit in contact with a magnetron plasma generated in at least one of the first working gas and the second working gas.

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 sputtering apparatus includes a placement portion where a target having a first opening is placed, an anode, and a metal member. The anode and the metal member are disposed at positions corresponding to the first opening of the target in the placement portion. The anode and the metal member are electrically insulated from each other. The metal member is set to a ground potential or a floating potential.

An electrically and magnetically enhanced ionized physical vapor deposition (I-PVD) magnetron apparatus and method is provided for sputtering material from a cathode target on a substrate, and in particular, for sputtering ceramic and diamond-like coatings. The electrically and magnetically enhanced magnetron sputtering source has unbalanced magnetic fields that couple the cathode target and additional electrode together. The additional electrode is electrically isolated from ground and connected to a power supply that can generate positive, negative, or bipolar high frequency voltages, and is preferably a radio frequency (RF) power supply. RF discharge near the additional electrode increases plasma density and a degree of ionization of sputtered material atoms.

A method of manufacturing a crystalline layer of material on a surface, the crystalline layer including lithium, at least one transition metal and at least one counter-ion. The method includes the following steps: generating a plasma using a remote plasma generator, plasma sputtering material from a first target including lithium onto a surface of or supported by a substrate, there being at least a first plume corresponding to trajectories of particles from the first target onto the surface, and plasma sputtering material from a second target including at least one transition metal onto the surface, there being at least a second plume corresponding to trajectories of particles from the second target onto the surface. The first target is positioned to be non-parallel with the second target, the first plume and the second plume converge at a region proximate to the surface of or supported by the substrate, and the crystalline layer is formed on the surface at the region.

A sputter deposition apparatus including: a remote plasma generation arrangement arranged to provide a plasma for sputter deposition of target material within a sputter deposition zone; a confining arrangement arranged to provide a confining magnetic field to substantially confine the plasma in the sputter deposition zone a substrate provided within the sputter deposition zone; and one or more target support assemblies arranged to support one or more targets in the sputter deposition zone so as to provide for sputter deposition of the target material on the substrate. The confining arrangement confines the remote plasma to the target support assemblies such that in use there is deposited: target material as a first region on the substrate; target material as a second region on the substrate; and an intermediate region between the first and second region with no target material.

A sputter deposition apparatus including: a plasma generation arrangement arranged to provide single plasma for sputter deposition of target material within a sputter deposition zone; a conveyor system arranged to convey a substrate through the sputter deposition zone in a conveyance direction; and one or more target support assemblies arranged to support one or more targets in the sputter deposition zone so as to provide for sputter deposition of the target material on the substrate utilising the plasma such that as the substrate is conveyed through the sputter deposition zone in use there is deposited: a first stripe on the substrate; and a second stripe on the substrate. The first stripe includes at least one of: a different density of the target material or a different composition of the target material than the second stripe.

Apparatus for sputter deposition of target material to a substrate is disclosed. In one form, the apparatus includes a substrate guide arranged to guide a substrate along a curved path and a target portion spaced from the substrate guide and arranged to support target material. The target portion and the substrate guide define between them a deposition zone. The apparatus includes a confining arrangement including one or more magnetic elements arranged to provide a confining magnetic field to confine plasma in the deposition zone thereby to provide for sputter deposition of target material to the web of substrate in use. The confining magnetic field includes magnetic field lines arranged to, at least in the deposition zone, substantially follow a curve of the curved path so as to confine said plasma around said curve of the curved path.

A sputter deposition apparatus including: a remote plasma generation arrangement arranged to provide a plasma for sputter deposition of target material within a sputter deposition zone; a confining arrangement arranged to provide a confining magnetic field to substantially confine the plasma in the sputter deposition zone a substrate provided within the sputter deposition zone; and one or more target support assemblies arranged to support one or more targets in the sputter deposition zone so as to provide for sputter deposition of the target material on the substrate. The confining arrangement confines the remote plasma to the target support assemblies such that in use there is deposited: target material as a first region on the substrate; target material as a second region on the substrate; and an intermediate region between the first and second region including a blend of target materials.