Rectangular filtered vapor plasma source and method of controlling vapor plasma flow

摘要

The invention provides an arc coating apparatus having a steering magnetic field source comprising steering conductors (62, 64, 66, 68) disposed along the short sides (32c, 32d) of a rectangular target (32) behind the target, and a magnetic focusing system disposed along the long sides (32a, 32b) of the target (32) in front of the target which confines the flow of plasma between magnetic fields generated on opposite long sides (32a, 32b) of the target (32). The plasma focusing system can be used to deflect the plasma flow off of the working axis of the cathode. Each steering conductor (62, 64, 66, 68) can be controlled independently. In a further embodiment, electrically independent steering conductors (62, 64, 66, 68) are disposed along opposite long sides (32a, 32b) of the cathode plate (32), and by selectively varying a current through one conductor, the path of the arc spot shifts to widen the erosion corridor. The invention also provides a plurality of internal anodes, and optionally a surrounding anode for deflecting the plasma flow.

主权项

1. An apparatus for sputtering comprising:
at least one magnetron including:
at least one rectangular cathode plate having a sputtering surface and opposing long sides and being connected to a negative pole of a current source for generating vapor at the sputtering surface, anda magnetic system disposed behind and in vicinity of the sputtering surface for guiding the vapor along a working axis of the at least one rectangular cathode plate; a coating chamber including a substrate holder for holding a substrate to be coated by the apparatus; a plasma duct having (a) an entrance disposed along the working axis and (b) an exit disposed off of the working axis, such that the coating chamber is in communication with the at least one rectangular cathode plate through the exit, the plasma duct, and the entrance; at least one anode spaced from the sputtering surface and disposed between the sputtering surface and the entrance, the at least one anode being connected to a positive pole of another current source; at least one cathode-ionizer, disposed outside the exit and connected to a negative pole of the another current source, for generating an arc-discharge through the plasma duct between the at least one cathode-ionizer and the at least one anode so as to ionize the vapor to create a magnetron vapor plasma; and a plurality of deflecting conductors arranged around the plasma duct and defining a curvilinear path, for deflecting flow of the magnetron vapor plasma through the plasma duct, off of the working axis, and through the exit toward the coating chamber.