High-density metallic sputtering targets

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a process for producing high density, refractory metal products via a press/sintering process. The invention is also directed to a process for producing a sputtering target and to the sputtering target so produced.

1 .- 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A sputtering-target plate that is sputterable to form highly uniform, low-resistivity films of a refractory metal selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, tungsten, an alloy of molybdenum and tungsten, molybdenum alloyed with a metal other than tungsten, and tungsten alloyed with a metal other than molybdenum, the sputtering-target plate (i) comprising pressed powder of the refractory metal, (ii) having a density greater than 97% of a theoretical density of the refractory metal, (iii) having a grain size less than 50 um, (iv) having a substantially random crystallographic orientation, and (v) being substantially free of texture banding. 
     
     
         11 . The sputtering-target plate of  claim 10 , further comprising a backing plate bonded to the sputtering-target plate. 
     
     
         12 . The sputtering-target plate of  claim 10 , wherein the powder has a Fischer sub-sieve size of from about 2 to about 5 microns as measured according to ASTM B-30-65. 
     
     
         13 . The sputtering-target plate of  claim 10 , wherein the sputtering-target plate defines a plurality of pores therewithin, each pore being closed and isolated from other pores. 
     
     
         14 . The sputtering-target plate of  claim 10 , further comprising at least one additional sputtering-target plate (i) comprising pressed powder of the refractory metal, (ii) having a density greater than 97% of a theoretical density of the refractory metal, (iii) having a grain size less than 50 um, (iv) having a substantially random crystallographic orientation, and (v) being substantially free of texture banding, the sputtering-target plate being at least one of bonded or welded to the at least one additional sputtering-target plate to form a large-area sputtering-target plate. 
     
     
         15 . The sputtering-target plate of  claim 10 , wherein the refractory metal is tungsten or tungsten alloyed with a metal other than molybdenum.