Methods of manufacturing large-area sputtering targets

摘要

In various embodiments, joined sputtering targets are formed at least in part by spray deposition of the sputtering material and/or welding.

主权项

1. A method of forming a joined sputtering target comprising a sputtering material that comprises an alloy or mixture of first and second constituent materials, the method comprising:
disposing two discrete sputtering-target tiles substantially in contact at an interface therebetween; disposing a first welding electrode above the interface; disposing a second welding electrode below the interface; simultaneously (i) translating the first welding electrode along at least portions of top surfaces of the tiles along the interface, and (ii) translating the second welding electrode along at least portions of bottom surfaces of the tiles along the interface, the first welding electrode remaining disposed substantially above the second welding electrode thereduring; and during at least part of the translation of the first and second welding electrodes, passing an electrical current through the tiles between the first and second welding electrodes to weld the tiles together at the interface, thereby forming the joined sputtering target that comprises: first and second discrete sputtering-target tiles joined at the interface, the first and second tiles each comprising the sputtering material, wherein, at the interface, each of the first and second tiles comprises both (i) regions consisting essentially of the first constituent material and (ii) regions consisting essentially of the second constituent material, wherein across an entirety of the interface, (i) regions of the first tile consisting essentially of the first constituent material are bonded to regions of the second tile consisting essentially of the first constituent material, (ii) regions of the first tile consisting essentially of the first constituent material are bonded to regions of the second tile consisting essentially of the second constituent material, (iii) regions of the first tile consisting essentially of the second constituent material are bonded to regions of the second tile consisting essentially of the first constituent material, and (iv) no regions of the first tile consisting essentially of the second constituent material are bonded to regions of the second tile consisting essentially of the second constituent material.