Pulsed Sputtering Apparatus and Pulsed Sputtering Method

Abstract

An object of the invention is to reduce sizes of an inert gas supply and exhaust devices used for a pulse sputtering device. Another object is to efficiently supply suitable quantity of the inert gas to a place where the inert gas is required in the pulse sputtering device. Therefore, a provided pulse sputtering device has a sputtering source that performs pulse discharge and generates plasma, a gas injection valve that injects and supplies an inert gas to the sputtering source and a controller that controls the sputtering source and the gas injection valve. The controller controls the sputtering source and the gas injection valve such that the gas injection valve injects the inert gas intermittently and such that a part of a period, in which the pulse discharge occurs in the sputtering source, overlaps with a part of a period, in which the gas injection valve injects and supplies the inert gas.

1 . A pulse sputtering device, comprising:
 a sputtering source that performs pulse discharge and generates plasma;   a gas injection valve that injects and supplies an inert gas to the sputtering source; and   a controller that controls the sputtering source and the gas injection valve, wherein   the controller controls the gas injection valve such that the gas injection valve injects the inert gas intermittently, and   the controller controls the sputtering source and the gas injection valve such that a part of a period, in which the pulse discharge occurs in the sputtering source, overlaps with a part of a period, in which the gas injection valve injects and supplies the inert gas or such that a period, in which the pulse discharge occurs in the sputtering source, is included in a period, in which the gas injection valve injects and supplies the inert gas.   
     
     
         2 . The pulse sputtering device as in  claim 1 , wherein
 the controller supplies power to the gas injection valve according to an injection signal, which is a pulsed electric signal, thereby driving the gas injection valve to inject the inert gas.   
     
     
         3 . The pulse sputtering device as in  claim 2 , wherein
 the controller constructs the injection signal with a group of multiple pulse signals.   
     
     
         4 . The pulse sputtering device as in  claim 3 , wherein
 the controller controls the group of multiple pulse signals to vary injection quantity of the inert gas per unit time in an injection period from a start to an end of the injection of the inert gas during the injection period.   
     
     
         5 . The pulse sputtering device as in  claim 4 , wherein
 the controller sets injection quantity of the inert gas per unit time in a predetermined period in an early stage of the injection period to be larger than injection quantity of the inert gas per unit time in a period after the predetermined period in the injection period.   
     
     
         6 . The pulse sputtering device as in  claim 3 , wherein
 the controller varies voltage values, current values or frequency of the multiple pulse signals of the group of the multiple pulse signals constituting the injection signal.   
     
     
         7 . The pulse sputtering device as in  claim 1 , wherein
 the sputtering source has a target as a cathode, and   the gas injection valve injects the inert gas such that at least a part of the injected inert gas has a motion component, which is directed to be perpendicular to a sputtering surface of the target and is directed toward the sputtering surface.   
     
     
         8 . The pulse sputtering device as in  claim 7 , wherein the gas injection valve injects the inert gas toward the target. 
     
     
         9 . The pulse sputtering device as in  claim 7 , wherein
 the sputtering source has an anode, and   the gas injection valve injects the inert gas from a space between the anode and the target or from a part of the anode near the target through an inside of the anode.   
     
     
         10 . The pulse sputtering device as in  claim 9 , wherein
 the anode has an opening near the target and a baffle extending from a periphery of the opening, and   the baffle is arranged at a position where the inert gas injected from the gas injection valve collides with the baffle.   
     
     
         11 . The pulse sputtering device as in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a vacuum chamber accommodating the sputtering source and the gas injection valve.   
     
     
         12 . A pulse sputtering device, comprising:
 a sputtering source that performs pulse discharge and generates plasma;   a gas injection valve that injects and supplies an inert gas to the sputtering source; and   a controller that controls the sputtering source and the gas injection valve, wherein   the controller supplies power to the gas injection valve according to an injection signal, which is a pulsed electric signal, thereby driving the gas injection valve to inject the inert gas,   the controller constructs the injection signal with a group of multiple pulse signals, and   the controller controls the group of multiple pulse signals to vary injection quantity of the inert gas per unit time in an injection period from a start to an end of the injection of the inert gas during the injection period.   
     
     
         13 . The pulse sputtering device as in  claim 12 , wherein
 the controller sets injection quantity of the inert gas per unit time in a predetermined period in an early stage of the injection period to be larger than injection quantity of the inert gas per unit time in a period after the predetermined period in the injection period.   
     
     
         14 . The pulse sputtering device as in  claim 12 , wherein
 the controller varies voltage values, current values or frequency of the multiple pulse signals of the group of the multiple pulse signals constituting the injection signal.   
     
     
         15 . The pulse sputtering device as in  claim 12 , wherein
 the sputtering source has a target as a cathode, and   the gas injection valve injects the inert gas such that at least a part of the injected inert gas has a motion component, which is directed to be perpendicular to a sputtering surface of the target and is directed toward the sputtering surface.   
     
     
         16 . The pulse sputtering device as in  claim 15 , wherein the gas injection valve injects the inert gas toward the target. 
     
     
         17 . The pulse sputtering device as in  claim 15 , wherein
 the sputtering source has an anode, and   the gas injection valve injects the inert gas from a space between the anode and the target or from a part of the anode near the target through an inside of the anode.   
     
     
         18 . The pulse sputtering device as in  claim 17 , wherein
 the anode has an opening near the target and a baffle extending from a periphery of the opening, and   the baffle is arranged at a position where the inert gas injected from the gas injection valve collides with the baffle.   
     
     
         19 . The pulse sputtering device as in  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a vacuum chamber accommodating the sputtering source and the gas injection valve.   
     
     
         20 . A pulse sputtering method, characterized by comprising:
 a gas supply step for supplying an inert gas intermittently to a sputtering source; and   a pulse discharge step for causing a pulse discharge in the sputtering source such that a part of a period, in which the inert gas is supplied, overlaps with a part of a period, in which the pulse discharge occurs, or for causing a pulse discharge in the sputtering source within a period, in which the inert gas is supplied.   
     
     
         21 . The pulse sputtering method as in  claim 20 , wherein the gas supply step supplies the inert gas such that at least a part of the inert gas has a motion component, which is directed to be perpendicular to a sputtering surface of a target of the sputtering source and directed toward the sputtering surface. 
     
     
         22 . The pulse sputtering method as in  claim 20 , wherein the gas supply step varies supply quantity of the inert gas per unit time during a period, in which the inert gas is supplied.