Methodology for recycling RU and RU-alloy deposition targets & targets made of recycled RU and RU-based alloy powders

摘要

A method of recycling ruthenium (Ru) and Ru-based alloys, in particular from spent sputter targets, comprises steps of: providing a solid body of Ru or a Ru-based alloy; segmenting the body to form a particulate material; removing contaminants, including Fe, from the particulate material; reducing the sizes of the particulate material to form a powder material; removing contaminants, including Fe, from the powder material by leaching; reducing oxygen content of the powder material to below a predetermined level to form a purified powder material by H 2 annealing; and removing particles greater than a predetermined size from the purified powder material. The purified powder material may be utilized for forming deposition sources, e.g., sputtering targets.