Arc source system for a cathode

Abstract

An arc source system, comprising a cooling body (12) and a holder body (3) adapted to be detachably fastened to said cooling body and for holding a cathode body (4), wherein the system comprises a membrane (2) which is arranged between the holder body and a lower portion (14) of said cooling body; and wherein said lower portion (14) of said cooling body is provided with at least one cooling fluid channel (11), and wherein said holder body (3) is provided with an inner fastening arrangement configured to be coupled with a corresponding outer fastening arrangement on a cathode body (4).

Claims

1. An arc source system, comprising: a cooling body comprising a lower portion and an upper portion; a holder body detachably fastened to said cooling body by at least two fastening devices, the holder body configured to hold a cathode body; and a membrane clamped between the holder body and the lower portion of said cooling body, the membrane having a thickness in the range of 0.5 mm to 2 mm; and wherein said lower portion of said cooling body is provided with at least one cooling fluid channel that is in fluid communication with the membrane, and wherein said holder body is provided with an inner fastening arrangement that couples with a corresponding outer fastening arrangement on the cathode body, the inner fastening arrangement being one of a threaded portion or comprising at least one radial pin, and wherein the membrane provides locking pressure against the cathode body through an opening in the holder body inscribed by the inner fastening arrangement due to pressure of cooling fluid in the cooling fluid channel acting against the membrane.

2. The arc source system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the membrane is made of copper, aluminum, or alloys or mixtures thereof.

3. The arc source system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said membrane is made from brass.

4. The arc source system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said holder body is made from a solid body provided with a circular aperture comprising the inner fastening arrangement for receiving and holding said cathode body.

5. The arc source as claimed in claim 4, wherein the cathode body comprises an upper portion configured to face a deposition chamber and a lower portion facing the membrane, wherein said aperture defines an area where said membrane is adjacent to the lower portion of said cathode body, when said cathode body is held in said holder body.

6. The arc source system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper portion of the cooling body comprises at least one cooling fluid inlet and at least one cooling fluid outlet, wherein said inlet and outlet are connected to said at least one fluid cooling channel.

7. The arc source system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a magnet body arranged at the upper portion of said cooling body, and a magnet holder arranged to enclose an iron core and wherein a lower portion of said magnet holder is arranged to abut said magnet body.

8. The arc source system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said iron core is arranged between said magnet body and an adaptor.

9. The arc source system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system is adapted to receive and hold a circular cathode body.

10. A circular cathode body for the arc source system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cathode body is provided with the outer fastening arrangement on an outer lower portion thereof.

11. The cathode body as claimed in claim 10, wherein said outer fastening arrangement is an outer threaded portion or a receptor for the at least one radial pin.

12. The arc source system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastening devices that fasten the cooler body to the holder body engage the membrane.

13. The arc source system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastening devices that fasten the cooler body to the holder body secure the membrane between the cooler body and the holder body.

14. The arc source system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the membrane has a lateral extent dimensioned to cover a surface of the holder body that is adjacent the cooling body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) Embodiments of the present solution will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an arc source system.

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic bottom view of an arc source system.

(4) FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of an arc source system along the line D-D of FIG. 2.

(5) FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of an arc source system.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(6) As illustrated in FIG. 1 the arc source system 30 comprises a cooling body 12 and a holder body 3. Current or power is fed to the cathode body 4, through an adaptor 8. At least one water inlet 16 and at least one water outlet 17 may be arranged in an upper portion 15 of the cooling body 12 (also as shown in FIG. 4). Alternatively, these inlets and outlets may be arranged in a different portion of the cooling body. The inlet and outlet are connected to at least one cooling fluid channel 11, thus forming a cooling fluid circuit, which at least one channel is arranged in a lower portion 14 of the cooling body (as shown in FIG. 3).

(7) The arc source system 30 may further comprise an insulation ring 10 arranged around the lower portion of the cooling body.

(8) The lower portion of the cooling body is provided with receiving means for at least two fastening devices 9. These fastening devices 9 are provided to detachably secure a holder body 3 onto the cooling body 12.

(9) The holder body 3 is arranged to retain or clamp a cathode body 4, i.e. the target material for the sputtering process.

(10) In FIG. 2 illustrates the system as shown in FIG. 1 where the cathode body 4 is placed in the holder body 3. The holder body 3 is fastened to the cooling body 12 by the fastening devices 9.

(11) According to one embodiment the fastening devices 9 may be any one of a screw, pin or rivet. Preferably the fastening device is a screw which is fastened and secured into the lower portion of the cooling body.

(12) As illustrated in the drawings the cathode body 4 is arranged in a circular aperture of the holder body 3. The holder body is made from a solid body provided with the circular aperture for receiving and holding said cathode body. The outer circumference of the holder body may however have any configuration even though is depicted as circular in the drawings.

(13) In FIG. 3 the system is illustrated in more detail, as a cross-sectional view along the line D-D in FIG. 3.

(14) A membrane 2 is arranged between the lower portion 14 of the cooling body 12 and the cathode body 4 (when arranged in connection with the holder body).

(15) The membrane 2 has a thickness, as seen in a vertical direction from the cathode body to the cooling body, in the range of 0.2 to 5 mm, or preferably in the range of 0.5 to 2 mm. Most preferably the thickness is about 0.5 mm.

(16) The membrane is thus arranged between the cooling body and the cathode, and such that the fluid in the cooling fluid channels directly come into contact with the upper surface thereof, while the lower surface of the membrane 2 abuts the cathode body.

(17) The membrane is detachably fastened to the cooling body through the fastening devices 9. This means that the membrane has a width that is larger than the width of the aperture in the holder body in which the cathode body is retained. This provides sufficient sealing to not allow any cooling fluid into a deposition chamber.

(18) The membrane may also be clamped between the cathode and cooling body.

(19) The membrane is formed from a material which is preferably both thermally and electrically conductive. This means that the current fed into the arc source system through the adaptor 8 is transferred trough the cooling body and the membrane to the cathode body 4.

(20) Alternatively, but not preferred, the membrane may be formed by a thermally conductive, but electrically insulating material. The arc source system is then configured such that the current is provided to the cathode body by other means.

(21) The membrane 2 may according to one embodiment be formed from a suitable metal. Examples of such metals are copper, aluminum or alloys or combinations thereof.

(22) In one embodiment the membrane is formed from or of brass.

(23) The cathode body 4 may be formed from any suitable metal, non-metal or combinations thereof.

(24) The cathode body 4 is preferably formed as a circular body, having an upper portion 19 facing a deposition chamber (not shown) and a lower portion 18 facing the membrane 2, when the cathode body is placed in the holder. The cathode body 4 comprises a fastening arrangement such that is can be detachably fastened or attached to the holder body 3. In one embodiment the outer lower portion 18 of the circular body is provided with a threaded portion 20. This threaded portion is designed such that it corresponds to an inner threaded portion 13 arranged in the circumference of the aperture in the holder body 3. This means that the cathode body may be in a threaded connection to the holder body.

(25) In an alternative embodiment (not shown in the drawings) the fastening arrangement is a bayonet mount or bayonet connector, which is well known to the skilled person and conventionally comprises a cylindrical male side (i.e. in the holder body) with one or more radial pins, and a female receptor (i.e. the cathode body) with matching L-shaped slot(s) and with spring(s) to keep the two parts locked together.

(26) As further illustrated in FIG. 3 the arc source system 30 may comprise an adaptor 8, which is provided for feeding current to the cathode body 4. In the drawings the adaptor is shown to be in threaded connection 25 with the cooling body 12, but the adaptor may have any suitable configuration or function. The threaded portion 25 may have a diameter which is smaller than a main body portion 26 of the adapter.

(27) The system 30 may further comprise a magnet body 5 arranged at an upper portion of said cooling body 12. The magnet 5 may be held in place by a magnet holder 6 formed from a polymer or plastic material. A lower portion 24 of the magnet holder 6 may be arranged such that it lies against or abuts the magnet body.

(28) The system may further comprise an iron core 7, which is arranged between the magnet body 5 and the adaptor 8. In one embodiment the lower portion of the iron core 7 may be enclosed by the magnet body 5.

(29) As illustrated in FIG. 3 a void space 21 may be provided between the adaptor 8 and the iron core 7.

(30) The adapter 8 may further be provided with a protruding circular disc 22 arranged to abut on an upper portion 23 of the magnet holder 6.