Sputtering apparatus including novel target mounting and/or control

Abstract

A sputtering chamber includes at least two sputtering targets, one of the at least two targets disposed on a first side a substrate conveyor extending within the chamber, and another of the at least two targets disposed on a second side of the conveyor. The at least two targets may be independently operable, and at least one of the targets, if inactivated, may be protected by a shielding apparatus. Both of the at least two targets may be mounted to a first wall of a plurality of walls enclosing the sputtering chamber.

1 . A sputtering apparatus, comprising:
 a sputtering chamber enclosed by a plurality of walls;   a substrate conveyor extending through the sputtering chamber;   a first sputtering target mounted to a first wall of the plurality of walls such that the first target is disposed on a first side of the conveyor; and   a second sputtering target mounted to the first wall such that the second target is disposed on a second side of the conveyor.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the first wall, to which the targets are mounted, and the first and second targets are removable from the chamber as an integral unit. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first target is part of a pair of first targets, both of the first targets being disposed on the first side of the conveyor; and   the second target is part of a pair of second targets, both of the second targets being disposed on the second side of the conveyor.   
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein each target of the first and second target pairs is independently operable, such that one target from each of the first and second target pairs can be selected to be active, and another target from each of the first and second target pairs can be selected to be inactive. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a first moveable shield to protect the inactive target of the first target pair from being coated by material sputtered from the active targets of the first and second target pairs; and   a second moveable shield to protect the inactive target of the second target pair from being coated by material sputtered from the active targets of the first and second target pairs.   
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the first and second moveable shields are adapted to be actuated from outside the chamber to move into a position protecting the inactive targets. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of the first target and the second target is cylindrical and extends from a first end to a second end; and   the first target and the second target are independently operable, such that a one of the first and second targets may be selected to be active and another of the first and second targets may be selected to be inactive; and further comprising:   a first moveable shield including first and second arcuate panels extending between the first and second ends of the first target, the first and second panels of the first shield being adapted to move with respect to one another about a circumference of the first target from a first position, in which the panels of the first shield protect the first target from being coated by sputtered material, to a second position in which the panels of the first shield allow at least a portion of the first target to be exposed for sputtering;   a second moveable shield including first and second arcuate panels extending between the first and second ends of the second target, the first and second panels of the second shield being adapted to move with respect to one another about a circumference of the second target from a first position, in which the panels of the second shield protect the second target from being coated by sputtered material, to a second position, in which the panels of the second shield allow at least a portion of the second target to be exposed for sputtering.   
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first moveable shield further includes a drive sprocket mating with an outer surface of the first arcuate panel of the first shield and an inner surface of the second arcuate panel of the second shield such that rotation of the drive sprocket moves the first arcuate panel of the first shield with respect to the second arcuate panel of the first shield; and   the second moveable shield further includes a drive sprocket mating with an outer surface of the first arcuate panel of the second shield and an inner surface of the second arcuate panel of the second shield such that rotation of the drive sprocket of the second shield moves the first arcuate panel of the second shield with respect to the second arcuate panel of the second shield.   
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first target and the second target are independently operable, such that a one of the first and second targets may be selected to be active and another of the first and second targets may be selected to be inactive. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising a moveable shield to protect the inactive target from being coated by a material sputtered from the active target. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the moveable shield is adapted to be actuated from outside the chamber to move into a position protecting the inactive target. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first wall extends over a top of the chamber, the first target being disposed above the conveyor, and the second target being disposed below the conveyor. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the first target is part of a pair of first targets, both of the first targets being disposed above the conveyor; and   the second target is part of a pair of second targets, both of the second targets being disposed below the conveyor.   
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the substrate conveyor includes a series of spaced-apart transport rollers, each roller having a support surface adapted to directly contact a sheet-like substrate being conveyed through the chamber between the first target and the second target. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the second target is adapted to sputter material upwardly between adjacent rollers of the conveyor to coat a lower surface of the sheet-like substrate as the substrate is conveyed through the chamber between the first target and the second target. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first wall defines a top lid adapted to be raised away from the chamber in order to remove the first and second targets from the chamber as an integral unit. 
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first wall includes a first part and a second part, the first part being separable from the second part; and   the first target is mounted to the first part and the second target is mounted to the second part.   
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the first part of the first wall and the first target, mounted thereto, are removable from the chamber as a first integral unit; and   the second part of the first wall and the second target, mounted thereto, are removable from the chamber as a second integral unit.   
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein one of the first and second parts can be removed from the chamber while the other of the first and second parts remains with the chamber. 
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the first part surrounds at least a portion of the second part. 
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first target and the second target is cylindrical and extends from a first end to a second end, and further comprising:
 a first end block housing an assembly coupling one of the first and second ends of the first target to the first wall; and   a second end block housing an assembly coupling one of the first and second ends of the second target to the first wall.   
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second targets bound a passage through which a sheet-like substrate can be conveyed by the substrate conveyor, the sheet-like substrate having a length of at least approximately 24 inches and a width of at least approximately 18 inches. 
   
   
       23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the first and second targets each have a length spanning a width of the passage, the width of the passage accommodating the width of the substrate and the length of each target spanning at least the width of the substrate. 
   
   
       24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the length of each target is greater than the width of the substrate. 
   
   
       25 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first connector port electrically coupled to an electrode of the first target; and   a second connector port electrically coupled to an electrode of the second target;   wherein the first and second ports are disposed outside the sputtering chamber; and   the first and second ports are adapted to receive a connector plug electrically coupled to either a power supply or a grounded connection so that one of the first and second targets can be selected to be active by coupling to the power supply, and another of the first and second targets may be selected to be inactive by coupling to ground.   
   
   
       26 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a pair of first connector ports, each of the pair of first ports electrically coupled to a corresponding electrode of each of the pair of first targets; and   a pair of second connector ports, each of the pair of second ports electrically coupled to a corresponding electrode of each of the pair of second targets;   wherein the pairs of first and second ports are disposed outside the sputtering chamber; and   each port of the first and second pairs of ports are adapted to receive a connector plug electrically coupled to either a power supply or a grounded connection so that any one or a combination of the first targets and the second targets can be selected to be active by coupling to the power supply, and the remaining targets can be selected to be inactive by coupling to ground.   
   
   
       27 . A sputtering target assembly for a sputtering chamber, comprising:
 a lid to seal off an opening to the chamber;   at least one first sputtering target mounted to the lid for placement within the chamber when the lid seals off the opening; and   at least one second sputtering target mounted to the lid for placement within the chamber when the lid seals off the opening;   wherein the at least one second sputtering target is spaced apart from the at least one first sputtering target at a distance allowing conveyance of a substrate therebetween, when the lid seals off the opening.   
   
   
       28 . The assembly of  claim 27 , wherein the opening extends over a top of the chamber. 
   
   
       29 . The assembly of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one first sputtering target comprises of a pair of first targets and the at least one second sputtering target comprises a pair of second targets. 
   
   
       30 . The assembly of  claim 29 , wherein each of the pair of first targets is independently operable and each of the pair of second targets is independently operable, such that one target of each of the pairs can be activated, while another target of each pair can be inactivated. 
   
   
       31 . The assembly of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one first target and the at least one second target are independently operable, such that one target of the first and second targets can be activated while another target of the first and second targets can be inactivated. 
   
   
       32 . The assembly of  claim 27 , wherein:
 the lid includes a first part and a second part, the first part being separable from the second part;   the at least one first target is mounted to the first part; and   the at least one second target is mounted to the second part.   
   
   
       33 . The assembly of  claim 32 , wherein the first part surrounds at least a portion of the second part, when the lid seals off the opening to the chamber. 
   
   
       34 . The assembly of  claim 27 , wherein each of the at least one first target and the at least one second target is cylindrical and extends from a first end to a second end, and further comprising:
 a first end block housing an assembly coupling one of the first and second ends of the at least one first target to the lid; and   a second end block housing an assembly coupling one of the first and second ends of the at least one second target to the lid.   
   
   
       35 . The assembly of  claim 27 , wherein the substrate is conveyed between the at least one first target and the at least one second target by a series of spaced-apart transport rollers defining a path of substrate travel, and the at least one first target is disposed above the path and the at least one second target is disposed below the path, when the lid seals off the opening. 
   
   
       36 . The assembly of  claim 27 , wherein the substrate is a sheet-like substrate being horizontally conveyed between the at least one first target and the at least one second target when the lid seals off the opening to the chamber. 
   
   
       37 . The assembly of  claim 36 , wherein the substrate has a length of at least approximately 24 inches and a width of at least approximately 18 inches. 
   
   
       38 . The assembly of  claim 37 , wherein the at least one first target and the at least one second target each have a length at least spanning the width of the substrate. 
   
   
       39 . The assembly of  claim 38 , wherein the length of each target is greater than the width of the substrate. 
   
   
       40 . The assembly of  claim 27 , wherein each of the at least one first sputtering target and the at least one second sputtering target is cylindrical and adapted for rotation about a longitudinal axis thereof. 
   
   
       41 . The assembly of  claim 40 , further comprising:
 at least one first rotary drive coupled to the at least one first target to rotate the first target; and   at least one second rotary drive coupled to the at least one second target to rotate the second target.   
   
   
       42 . The assembly of  claim 27 , further comprising:
 a first connector port electrically coupled to an electrode of the at least one first target; and   a second connector port electrically coupled to an electrode of the at least one second target;   wherein the first and second ports are mounted to the lid such that the ports are disposed outside the sputtering chamber, when the lid seals off the opening; and   the first and second ports are adapted to receive a connector plug electrically coupled to either a power supply or a grounded connection so that one of the at least one first target and the at least one second target can be selected to be active by coupling to the power supply, and another of the at least one first target and the at least one second target may be selected to be inactive by coupling to ground.   
   
   
       43 . The assembly of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 a pair of first connector ports, each of the pair of first ports electrically coupled to a corresponding electrode of each of the pair of first targets; and   a pair of second connector ports, each of the pair of second ports electrically coupled to a corresponding electrode of each of the pair of second targets;   wherein the pairs of first and second ports are mounted to the lid such that the ports are disposed outside the sputtering chamber, when the lid seals off the opening; and   each port of the first and second pairs of ports are adapted to receive a connector plug electrically coupled to either a power supply or a grounded connection so that any one or a combination of the first targets and the second targets can be selected to be active by coupling to the power supply, and the remaining targets can be selected to be inactive by coupling to ground.   
   
   
       44 . A method for deploying sputtering targets in a sputtering chamber, the method comprising:
 mounting at least one first sputtering target to a first portion of a lid of the chamber;   mounting at least one second sputtering target to a second portion of the lid of the chamber; and   placing the lid over an opening of the chamber to seal the opening, thereby disposing the at least one mounted first target and the at least one mounted second target within the chamber;   wherein the at least one mounted first target is spaced apart from the at least one mounted second target, such that, when the lid is placed over the opening, a substrate being conveyed through the chamber can pass between the mounted targets.   
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein placing the lid comprises lowering the lid over the opening, and wherein the at least one mounted first target is disposed above the at least one mounted second target within the chamber when the lid is placed. 
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 44 , further comprising:
 activating the at least one mounted first target to deposit material on a surface of the substrate as the substrate passes between the mounted targets; and   shielding the at least one mounted second target against sputtering from the at least one first target.   
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein shielding the at least one mounted second target comprises actuating a moveable shield from outside the chamber. 
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the at least one first target comprises a pair of first targets and the at least one second target comprises a pair of second targets. 
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 48 , further comprising:
 activating one of the pair of first targets to deposit material on a first surface of the substrate as the substrate passes between the mounted targets;   shielding the other of the pair of first targets;   activating one of the pair of second targets to deposit material on a second surface of the substrate as the substrate passes between the mounted targets; and   shielding the other of the pair of second targets.   
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein:
 shielding the other of the pair of first targets comprises actuating a first moveable shield from outside the chamber; and   shielding the other of the pair of second targets comprises actuating a second moveable shield from outside the chamber.   
   
   
       51 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the substrate comprises a glass sheet having a length of at least approximately 24 inches and a width of at least approximately 18 inches; the substrate being conveyed through the chamber by a series of spaced-apart transport rollers that contact the substrate; the method further comprising activating the at least one mounted first sputtering target to deposit material on a first surface of the substrate as the substrate passes between the mounted targets. 
   
   
       52 . The method of  claim 51 , further comprising activating the at least one mounted second sputtering target to deposit material on a second surface of the substrate as the substrate passes between the mounted targets. 
   
   
       53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the first surface of the substrate is disposed above the second surface of the substrate as the substrate passes between the mounted targets. 
   
   
       54 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein, when the lid is placed over the opening, the at least one mounted first target is disposed above the substrate being conveyed through the chamber and the at least one mounted second target is disposed below the substrate being conveyed through the chamber. 
   
   
       55 . The method of  claim 44 , further comprising:
 activating the at least one mounted first target to deposit material on a first surface of the substrate being conveyed through the chamber; and   activating the at least one mounted second target to deposit material on a second surface of the substrate being conveyed through the chamber;   wherein the first and second surfaces of the substrate are opposing major surfaces of the substrate.   
   
   
       56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the first surface of the substrate is disposed above the second surface of the substrate as the substrate is conveyed through the chamber. 
   
   
       57 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the first portion of the lid is separable from the second portion of the lid, and further comprising:
 removing the first portion of the lid from the opening by separating the first portion from the second portion; and   dismantling at least one spent target from the first portion of the lid prior to mounting the at least one first target to the first portion of the lid.   
   
   
       58 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein removing the first portion of the lid comprises raising the first portion and the spent target together, as an integral unit, away from the chamber 
   
   
       59 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the second portion of the lid remains over the opening of the chamber while removing the first portion and dismantling the spent target. 
   
   
       60 . The method of  claim 48 , further comprising:
 electrically disconnecting electrodes of two targets of the pairs of first and second targets from at least one power supply, one of the two targets having been detected as being non-operational; and   electrically grounding the disconnected electrodes;   wherein disconnecting and grounding are accomplished after placing the lid and without removing the lid from over the opening.   
   
   
       61 . The method of  claim 60 , further comprising:
 electrically disconnecting an electrode of one of another two targets of the pairs of the first and second targets from a first power supply of the at least one power supply; and   electrically connecting the electrode of the one of the other two targets to a second power supply of the at least one power supply;   wherein an electrode of another of the other two targets is already connected to the second power supply; and   disconnecting and connecting the electrode of the one of the other two targets is accomplished after placing the lid and without removing the lid from the opening.   
   
   
       62 . A shielding apparatus for a sputtering target assembly within a sputtering chamber, the sputtering target assembly comprising a cylindrical target extending from a first end to a second end within the chamber, the shielding apparatus comprising:
 a first moveable arcuate shield panel extending between the first and second ends of the target and circumferentially about the target; and   a second moveable arcuate shield panel extending between the first and second ends of the target and circumferentially about the first panel and the target;   wherein the first and second panels are adapted to move with respect to one another circumferentially about the target from a first position, in which the panels enclose the target, to a second position in which the panels allow at least a portion of the target to be exposed.   
   
   
       63 . The shielding apparatus of  claim 62 , further comprising a drive sprocket mating with an outer surface of the first arcuate shield panel and an inner surface of the second arcuate shield panel such that rotation of the drive sprocket moves the first panel with respect to the second panel. 
   
   
       64 . The shielding apparatus of  claim 63 , further comprising a motor disposed outside the sputtering chamber and coupled to the drive sprocket to drive the rotation of the drive sprocket. 
   
   
       65 . The shielding apparatus of  claim 62 , further comprising a plurality of sprockets disposed between the first panel and the second panel, each of the plurality of sprocket rotatable to facilitate movement of the first panel with respect to the second panel. 
   
   
       66 . The shielding apparatus of  claim 65 , further comprising a motor disposed outside the sputtering chamber and coupled to at least one of the plurality of sprockets to drive rotation of the at least one sprocket. 
   
   
       67 . A method for deploying sputtering targets in a sputtering chamber, the method comprising: placing a lid over an opening of a sputtering chamber to seal the opening;
 electrically connecting an electrode of a first and a second target disposed within the chamber to a first power supply after the lid is placed;   electrically connecting an electrode of a third and a fourth target disposed within the chamber to a second power supply after the lid is placed;   electrically disconnecting the electrode of the first target and another electrode of one of the second, third and fourth targets, the first of the four targets having been detected as being non-operational; and   electrically grounding the disconnected electrodes;   wherein the disconnecting and grounding are accomplished after the lid is placed and without removing the lid from the opening; and   the first and second targets form a first pair being spaced apart from the third and fourth targets forming a second pair, such that a substrate being conveyed through the chamber can passed between the first and second pairs of targets.   
   
   
       68 . The method of  claim 67 , wherein the one of the second, third and fourth targets is the third target and further comprising:
 electrically disconnecting the electrode of the second target from the first power supply; and   electrically connecting the electrode of the second target to the second power supply;   wherein disconnecting and connecting the electrode of the second target is accomplished after placing the lid and without removing the lid from the opening.