Sputtering arrangement and sputtering method for optimized distribution of the energy flow

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a sputtering arrangement, a vacuum coating system, and a method for carrying out HiPIMS coating methods; the sputtering arrangement has at least two different interconnection possibilities and the switch to the second interconnection possibility, in which two sputtering sub-assemblies are operated simultaneously with high power pulses, achieves a productivity gain.

Claims

1. A sputtering arrangement comprising: a number N of sputtering cathodes or sub-cathodes T.sub.i with i=1 to N, and a number n of sputtering power generators G.sub.j with j=1 to n, wherein N is a whole number and N2 and n is also a whole number and n2; said sputtering arrangement further comprising bridge switches Sbj for switching the power output Pj of the respective sputtering power generator Gj, and pulse switch Spi for distributing the respective power outputs Pj to the respective sputtering cathodes Ti; said sputtering arrangement is assembled so that it is operateable in at least two different interconnection variants, and: in a first interconnection variant, the respective power outputs P.sub.j of the n sputtering power generators G.sub.j are correspondingly interconnected by means of the bridge switches so that a total sputtering power P is supplied, which corresponds to the sum of the power outputs P.sub.j (P=.sub.j=1.sup.nPj), and through a pulse sequence generation by means of the respective pulse switches, a sequence of power pulses with pulse power P and sequence period T is produced; the individual power pulses are chronologically distributed to the respective sputtering cathodes T.sub.i; the sputtering cathodes are respectively supplied with power during a pulse time t.sub.i; and the period T corresponds to the sum of the pulse times (T=.sub.i=1.sup.Nt.sub.i); and in a second interconnection variant, the sputtering cathodes are operated in at least two separate sputtering sub-arrangements A and B; in order to operate the sputtering sub-arrangements, the respective power outputs of a number nA of sputtering generators and a number nB of sputtering generators are correspondingly interconnected by means of the bridge switches so that a first pulse power P.sub.A (P.sub.A=.sub.j=1.sup.nAPj) and a second pulse power P.sub.B (P.sub.B=.sub.j=nA.sup.nPj) are supplied, where nA+nB=n, and where through the respective generation of pulse sequence by means of the respective pulse switches, a respective first sequence of power pulses with the pulse power P.sub.A and a sequence period T.sub.A and second sequence of power pulses with the pulse power P.sub.B and a sequence period T.sub.B are produced; the individual power pulses are chronologically distributed to the sputtering cathodes of the respective sputtering sub-arrangements, where NA corresponds to the number of sputtering cathodes of the first sputtering sub-arrangement A and NB corresponds to the number of sputtering cathodes of the second sputtering sub-arrangement B, where NA+NB=N, and the sequence period T.sub.A corresponds to the sum of the pulse times for the sputtering cathodes of the first sputtering sub-arrangement A and the sequence period T.sub.B corresponds to the sum of the pulse times for the sputtering cathodes of the second sputtering sub-arrangement B (T.sub.A=.sub.i=1.sup.NAti and T.sub.B=.sub.i=NA.sup.Nti).

2. A vacuum coating system with a sputtering arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the sputtering arrangement is assembled in such a way that during the execution of a sputtering method, high power pulses can be used, which permit the use of high sputtering power densities of 100 W/cm2 or greater.

3. The sputtering arrangement of claim 1, wherein N=n.

4. The vacuum coating system of claim 2, wherein N=n.

5. The sputtering arrangement of claim 1, wherein PA=PB.

6. The vacuum coating system of claim 2, wherein PA=PB.

7. The sputtering arrangement of claim 1, wherein P=PA+PB.

8. The vacuum coating system of claim 2, wherein P=PA+PB.

9. The sputtering arrangement of claim 1, wherein NA=NB and/or nA=nB.

10. The vacuum coating system of claim 2, wherein NA=NB and/or nA=nB.

11. A method for coating substrates by means of HiPIMS in which the HiPIMS method is carried out in a vacuum coating system with a sputtering arrangement, said sputtering arrangement comprising a number N of sputtering cathodes or sub-cathodes Ti with i=1 to N, and a number n of sputtering power generators Gj with j=1 to n, wherein N is a whole number and N2 and n is also a whole number and n2; the sputtering arrangement further comprising bridge switches Sbj for switching the power output Pj of the respective sputtering power generator Gj, and pulse switch Spi for distributing the respective power outputs Pj to the respective sputtering cathodes Ti; wherein the sputtering arrangement is assembled so that it is operateable in at least two different interconnection variants, and: in a first interconnection variant, the respective power outputs P.sub.j of the n sputtering power generators G.sub.j are correspondingly interconnected by means of the bridge switches so that a total sputtering power P is supplied, which corresponds to the sum of the power outputs P.sub.j (P=.sub.j=1.sup.nPj), and through a pulse sequence generation by means of the respective pulse switches, a sequence of power pulses with pulse power P and sequence period T is produced; the individual power pulses are chronologically distributed to the respective sputtering cathodes T.sub.i; the sputtering cathodes are respectively supplied with power during a pulse time t.sub.i; and the period T corresponds to the sum of the pulse times (T=.sub.i=1.sup.Nt.sub.i); and in a second interconnection variant, the sputtering cathodes are operated in at least two separate sputtering sub-arrangements A and B; in order to operate the sputtering sub-arrangements, the respective power outputs of a number nA of sputtering generators and a number nB of sputtering generators are correspondingly interconnected by means of the bridge switches so that a first pulse power P.sub.A (P.sub.A=.sub.j=1.sup.nAPj) and a second pulse power P.sub.B (P.sub.B=.sub.j=nA.sup.nPj) are supplied, where nA+nB=n, and where through the respective generation of pulse sequence by means of the respective pulse switches, a respective first sequence of power pulses with the pulse power P.sub.A and a sequence period T.sub.A and second sequence of power pulses with the pulse power P.sub.B and a sequence period T.sub.B are produced; the individual power pulses are chronologically distributed to the sputtering cathodes of the respective sputtering sub-arrangements, where NA corresponds to the number of sputtering cathodes of the first sputtering sub-arrangement A and NB corresponds to the number of sputtering cathodes of the second sputtering sub-arrangement B, where NA+NB=N, and the sequence period T.sub.A corresponds to the sum of the pulse times for the sputtering cathodes of the first sputtering sub-arrangement A and the sequence period T.sub.B corresponds to the sum of the pulse times for the sputtering cathodes of the second sputtering sub-arrangement B (T.sub.A=.sub.i=1.sup.NA and T.sub.B=.sub.i=NA.sup.Nti).

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein at least in order to deposit a layer by means of HiPIMS methods, the sputtering arrangement is switched to an interconnection variant with at least two sputtering sub-arrangements and a coating rate gain is achieved in comparison to a HiPIMS method carried out with the sputtering arrangement in the first interconnection variant.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the sputtering arrangement is assembled in such a way that during the execution of the method, high power pulses are useable, which permit the use of high sputtering power densities of 100 W/cm2 or greater.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the high sputtering power densities are 300 W/cm2 or greater.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein N=n.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein PA=PB.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein P=PA+PB.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein NA=NB and/or nA=nB.

19. The vacuum coating system of claim 2, wherein the high sputtering power densities are 300 W/cm2 or greater.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a chronological distribution of power pulses (also called sputtering pulses) with the pulse conduction P in a sputtering arrangement with six sub-cathodes T.sub.1 through T.sub.6 (also called sputtering cathodes). The power pulses are sequentially applied one after another to the six sub-cathodes, without interrupting the power consumption by the sputtering generator G, where t.sub.1 is the pulse time of the power pulse that is applied to the first sub-cathode T.sub.1 during a period T and in a similar way, t.sub.2 is the pulse time of the power pulse that is applied to the second sub-cathode T.sub.2 during the same period T, and so on; in this example, the pulse time t.sub.i with i=1 to 6 was selected so that t.sub.1=t.sub.2=t.sub.3=t.sub.4=t.sub.5=t.sub.6. The chronological sequence of the transmission of the sputtering power from one target (sputtering cathode in this context) to the other takes place, as already mentioned above, without interrupting the power P from the point of view of the generator. The sequence t.sub.1 through t.sub.6 repeats with the period T and likewise takes place without interruption from the point of view of the generator. In the example in FIG. 1, the pulse times t.sub.1 through t.sub.6 are shown as being of the same length. Each pulse time t.sub.i of a sub-cathode T.sub.i, however, can be set individually.

(2) FIG. 2 shows the curve of the specific coating rate of titanium as a function of the sputtering power density.

(3) FIG. 3 shows the curve of the coating rate as a function of the sputtering power density according to the sputtering arrangement with 6 sub-cathodes, as shown in FIG. 1, taking into account the specific coating rate of titanium as a function of the sputtering power density.

(4) FIG. 4 (includes FIGS. 4a and 4b) shows an embodiment of a sputtering arrangement of the present disclosure with a networking according to the present disclosure of sputtering generators (FIG. 4a), which are logically interconnected in order to enable an associated chronological distribution of the sputtering power pulses; the pulse conduction is respectively P=P.sub.1+P.sub.2+P.sub.3+P.sub.4+P.sub.5+P.sub.6 and the sputtering power pulses are applied to the respective sub-cathodes T.sub.i during a particular pulse time t.sub.i, i.e. are applied to the sub-cathode T.sub.1 during a pulse time t.sub.1 and are applied to the sub-cathode T.sub.2 during a pulse time t.sub.2, etc. (FIG. 4b).

(5) FIG. 5 (includes FIGS. 5a and 5b) shows the same embodiment of a sputtering arrangement of the present disclosure as in FIG. 4, but in another interconnection of the present disclosure (FIG. 5a), which makes it possible for the sputtering arrangement to be simultaneously operated in two different sputtering sub-arrangements A and B. FIG. 5b shows the corresponding chronological distribution of power pulses in the sputtering sub-arrangements; the power in sub-arrangement A is P.sub.A=P.sub.1+P.sub.2+P.sub.3 and the power in sub-arrangement B is P.sub.B=P.sub.4+P.sub.5+P.sub.6.

(6) FIG. 6 (includes FIGS. 6a and 6b) shows the same embodiment of a sputtering arrangement of the present disclosure as in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, but in another interconnection of the present disclosure (FIG. 6a) in which power pulses are no longer generated, but instead, the respective sputtering cathodes are continuously supplied separately with the power of the respective sputtering power generators G.sub.1 through G.sub.6, as shown in FIG. 6b.

(7) FIG. 7 shows the coating rate gain when the sputtering arrangement of the present disclosure is switched from the interconnection in FIG. 4 to the interconnection in FIG. 5

(8) Before further explaining the depicted embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the particular arrangements shown, since the invention is capable of other embodiments. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than limiting. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purposes of description and not limitation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(9) The present disclosure specifically discloses the following:

(10) A sputtering arrangement with a number N of sputtering cathodes or sub-cathodes T.sub.i with i=1 through N, and a number n of sputtering power generators G.sub.j with j=1 through n, where N is a whole number and N2 and n is also a whole number and n2; the sputtering arrangement comprises bridge switches Sb.sub.j for switching the power output P.sub.j of the respective sputtering power generator G.sub.j, and pulse switches Sp.sub.i for distributing the respective power outputs P.sub.j to the respective sputtering cathodes T.sub.i; the sputtering arrangement is assembled so that it can be operated in at least two different interconnection possibilities; and:

(11) In the first interconnection variant, the respective power outputs P.sub.j of the n sputtering power generators G.sub.j can be logically interconnected by means of the bridge switches so that a total sputtering power P is supplied, which corresponds to the sum of the power outputs P.sub.j, i.e. P=.sub.j=1.sup.nPj; and through a pulse sequence generation by means of the respective pulse switches, a sequence of power pulses with pulse power P and sequence period T is produced; the individual power pulses are chronologically distributed to the respective sputtering cathodes T.sub.i; the sputtering cathodes are respectively supplied with power during a pulse time t.sub.i; and a period T corresponds to the sum of the pulse times, i.e. T=.sub.i=1.sup.Nt.sub.i, and

(12) in the second interconnection variant, the sputtering cathodes are operated in at least two separate sputtering sub-arrangements A and B; in order to operate the sputtering sub-arrangements, the respective power outputs of a number nA of sputtering generators and a number nB of sputtering generators can be logically interconnected by means of the bridge switches so that a first pulse power P.sub.A=.sub.j=1.sup.nAPj and a second pulse power P.sub.B==.sub.j=nA.sup.nPj are supplied, where nA+nB=n, and where through the respective generation of pulse sequence by means of the respective pulse switches, a respective first sequence of power pulses with a pulse power P.sub.A and a sequence period T.sub.A and second sequence of power pulses with a pulse power P.sub.B and a sequence period T.sub.B are produced; the individual power pulses are chronologically distributed to the sputtering cathodes of the respective sputtering sub-arrangements, where NA corresponds to the number of sputtering cathodes of the first sputtering sub-arrangement A and NB corresponds to the number of sputtering cathodes of the second sputtering sub-arrangement B and NA+NB=N, and the sequence period T.sub.A corresponds to the sum of the pulse times for the sputtering cathodes of the first sputtering sub-arrangement A and the sequence period T.sub.B corresponds to the sum of the pulse times for the sputtering cathodes of the second sputtering sub-arrangement B, i.e. T.sub.A==.sub.i=1.sup.NA ti and T.sub.B=.sub.i=NA.sup.Nti.

(13) A vacuum coating system with a sputtering arrangement of the present disclosure as described above; the sputtering arrangement is assembled in such a way that during the execution of a sputtering method, high power pulses can be used, which permit the use of high sputtering power densities of 100 W/cm.sup.2 or greater, in particular 300 W/cm2 or greater.

(14) A vacuum coating system as described above, preferably in which N=n.

(15) A vacuum coating system as described above, preferably in which P.sub.A=P.sub.B

(16) A vacuum coating system as described above, preferably in which P=P.sub.A+P.sub.B

(17) A vacuum coating system as described above, preferably in which NA=NB and/or nA=nB

(18) A method for coating substrates by means of HiPIMS in which the HiPIMS method is carried out in a vacuum coating system like one of the inventive vacuum coating systems described above.

(19) A method as described above in which at least in order to deposit a layer by means of HiPIMS methods, the sputtering arrangement is switched to an interconnection variant with at least two sputtering sub-arrangements and a coating rate gain is achieved in comparison to a HiPIMS method, which would be carried out with the sputtering arrangement in a first interconnection variant.

(20) The invention was described based on exemplary embodiments. A person skilled in the art will derive numerous embodiments for implementing the invention without departing from the scope of the present claims. While a number of aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations therefore. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims hereinafter introduced are interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations, which are within their true spirit and scope. Each embodiment described herein has numerous equivalents.

(21) The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed. Thus, it should be understood that although the present invention has been specifically disclosed by preferred embodiments and optional features, modification and variation of the concepts herein disclosed may be resorted to by those skilled in the art, and that such modifications and variations are considered to be within the scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims. Whenever a range is given in the specification, all intermediate ranges and subranges, as well as all individual values included in the ranges given are intended to be included in the disclosure. When a Markush group or other grouping is used herein, all individual members of the group and all combinations and sub-combinations possible of the group are intended to be individually included in the disclosure.

(22) In general, the terms and phrases used herein have their art-recognized meaning, which can be found by reference to standard texts, journal references and contexts known to those skilled in the art. The above definitions are provided to clarify their specific use in the context of the invention.