DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING LAYERS WITH IMPROVED UNIFORMITY IN COATING SYSTEMS WITH HORIZONTALLY ROTATING SUBSTRATE AND ADDITIONAL PLASMA SOURCES

Abstract

The invention relates to a device and a method for producing layers whose layer thickness distribution can be adjusted in coating systems with horizontally rotating substrate. A very homogeneous or a specific non-homogeneous distribution can be adjusted. The particle loading is also significantly reduced. The service life is significantly higher compared to other methods. Forming of parasitic coatings is reduced.

Claims

1-23. (canceled)

24. A device for depositing uniform layers on rotationally moved substrates by means of magnetron sputtering comprising (a) a vacuum chamber with a sputtering compartment, (b) at least one inlet for a sputtering gas; (c) a turntable with at least one substrate holder; and (d) at least one magnetron sputtering source arranged in the sputtering compartment with at least one electrode, and at least one further microwave plasma source being arranged in the sputtering compartment.

25. The device according to claim 24, wherein the at least one microwave plasma source has a magnetic field configuration for generating a spatially localized plasma.

26. The device according to claim 24, wherein the device has at least one generator for supplying power to the at least one microwave plasma source.

27. The device according to claim 24, wherein the at least one microwave plasma source for local plasma compression is arranged asymmetrically to one of the axes of the at least one electrode.

28. The device according to claim 24, wherein the at least one microwave plasma source comprises a protective coating.

29. The device according to claim 24, wherein the inhomogeneous removal rate increases from the turntable center to the turntable margin.

30. The device according to claim 24, wherein the device has at least one additional plasma source for pretreating the substrate surface and/or for modifying the structure and/or the stoichiometry of the layer.

31. The device according to claim 24, wherein the at least one magnetron sputtering source consists of magnetron electrodes of a cylindrical or planar source material and of a holder for this material and a target belonging thereto.

32. The device according to claim 24, wherein the distance from the substrate to the at least one electrode for each electrode amounts to, independently from one another, from 5 to 40 cm.

33. The device according to claim 24, wherein the device has a DC current supply pulsed in the mid frequency range or a pulsed DC current supply.

34. The device according to claim 24, wherein the device comprises a photometer for determining the thickness of the layer on the substrate and/or ellipsometry flanges and/or a component which exerts a polarization effect.

35. The device according to claim 24, wherein the device has an optical measuring device for determining the layer thickness distribution.

36. The device according to claim 24, wherein the device has a regulation system for regulating and/or stabilizing the partial pressure in the magnetron sputtering device.

37. The device according to claim 24, wherein the device has at least one correction aperture.

38. A method of depositing uniform layers on rotationally moved substrates by magnetron sputtering, in which (a) at least one substrate is arranged on a turntable in a vacuum chamber to enable a coating on a rotational movement of the substrate and (b) at least one layer is deposited on the at least one substrate with at least one magnetron sputtering source arranged in the sputtering compartment and with at least one electrode, with the layers of source material of the electrodes being formed by sputter gas, wherein a homogeneous or inhomogeneous plasma density is generated in the sputtering compartment utilizing at least one further microwave plasma source, which causes a homogeneous or inhomogeneous removal rate of the source material on the substrate.

39. The method according to claim 38, wherein the at least one further microwave plasma source is utilized for the magnetron sputtering source, whereby the sputtering process can be operated in the pressure range below 5×10.sup.−3 mbar.

40. The method according to claim 38, wherein the inhomogeneous removal rate increases from the turntable center to the turntable margin.

41. The method according to claim 38, wherein the at least one additional plasma source is utilized in the method.

42. The method according to claim 38, wherein a noble gas is utilized as the sputtering gas.

43. The method according to claim 38, wherein the plasma density of the magnetron sputtering source is increased locally by utilizing the at least one further microwave plasma source via its plasma power.

44. The method according to claim 38, wherein at least one reactive gas is utilized in addition to the sputtering gas.

45. The method according to claim 38, wherein the thickness of the layer on the substrate is monitored by at least one of the measures (a) to (e) for a process control: (a) time control; (b) optical transmission monitoring; (c) optical reflection monitoring; (d) optical absorption monitoring; (e) monowavelength ellipsometry or spectral ellipsometry; and (f) crystal quartz measurement; or by a combination thereof.

Description

[0109] The subject according to the invention is to be explained in more detail with reference to the following figures, without restricting it to the specific embodiments shown here.

[0110] FIG. 1 shows a device in accordance with the invention without a turntable in a plan view;

[0111] FIG. 2 shows a device in accordance with the invention with a turntable in a plan view;

[0112] FIG. 3 shows a device in accordance with the invention in a sectional representation;

[0113] FIG. 4 shows a device in accordance with the invention in a sectional representation;

[0114] FIG. 5 shows the device in accordance with the invention from FIG. 4 in the plane transverse thereto;

[0115] FIG. 6 shows a device in accordance with the invention in a second variant in a sectional representation;

[0116] FIG. 7 shows the device in accordance with the invention from FIG. 6 in the plane transverse thereto;

[0117] FIG. 1 schematically shows a preferred device in accordance with the invention without a turntable in a plan view. The device has three magnetron sputtering devices 2, 3, 4, of which one is designed in the single magnetron arrangement 2 and two in the dual magnetron arrangement 3, 4. The magnetron sputtering device 2 comprises a magnetron electrode 5, sputter gas 11 and optionally reactive gas 8 and is in a vacuum 1. The magnetron sputtering devices 3, 4 each comprise two magnetron electrodes 6, 7, sputter gas 11, and optionally reactive gas 8 and are in a vacuum 1. A microwave plasma source 12 and a photometer 16 and/or an ellipsometry flange 17 are located in the vicinity of the magnetron sputtering devices 2, 3, 4.

[0118] FIG. 2 schematically shows a preferred embodiment of the turntable in a plan view. The turntable 10 is located in the apparatus and in this example has ten identical substrate holders 9.

[0119] FIG. 3 schematically shows a preferred embodiment of the device with a turntable 10 in a side view. The cross-section of a magnetron sputtering device is visible which comprises two cylinders of source material 6, 7 (dual magnetron arrangement). The magnetron sputtering device is delineated in a gas-tight manner from the rest of the device at the sides of boundary walls 14, 15 and at the top by the turntable 10; it comprises sputter gas 11, optionally reactive gas 8 and is in a vacuum 1. Two substrate holders 9 of the turntable 10 are shown or visible in the cross-section. A cover 13 is located above the turntable 10 and has boundary walls which are located to the side of the turntable 10 that closes the device in a gas-tight manner.

[0120] FIG. 4 schematically shows the device in accordance with the invention. 100 shows the vacuum chamber in which a sputtering compartment 101 is installed. The substrate 102 is located on the turntable 103, which continuously rotates around the center during the coating process. In this example, the coating is operated against gravity from bottom to top. The magnetron electrodes 6 are accordingly located below the substrate. The distribution of the coating can be adjusted by a coating mask 104 such that a homogeneous layer is deposited on the substrate. The arrangement comprises two microwave plasma sources 106 arranged between the two magnetron sources at the ends of the cathodes, respectively. The magnetron sources also comprise a shutter 107 which can be rotated between the substrate and magnetron source so that the coating can be stopped. A current feedthrough 108 and a generator 109 are connected to the microwave plasma source. 111 is the pump flange and 110 is a shield against falling particles to protect the pump.

[0121] FIG. 5 shows the same arrangement viewed perpendicularly thereto.

[0122] FIGS. 6 and 7 show an alternative arrangement in accordance with the invention. Here, the distance between the magnetron source 105 and the substrate 102 was increased. Two microwave plasma sources 106 were arranged at the outer end of the magnetrons. Thus, by increasing the microwave plasma source power, the rate can be increased toward the outer margin so that less coating of mask 104 needs to be shielded. Even with the greater distance, the same layer properties are achieved by operating the process at a pressure of around 7×10{circumflex over ( )}−4 mbar.