Molybdenum containing targets

Abstract

The invention is directed at sputter targets including 50 atomic % or more molybdenum, a second metal element of titanium, and a third metal element of chromium or tantalum, and deposited films prepared by the sputter targets. In a preferred aspect of the invention, the sputter target includes a phase that is rich in molybdenum, a phase that is rich in titanium, and a phase that is rich in the third metal element.

1 .- 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A process comprising:
 providing a sputtering target and a substrate within a sputtering chamber; and   sputtering the sputtering target to remove atoms therefrom, whereby at least some of the atoms removed from the sputtering target are deposited over the substrate as a layer,   wherein (i) the layer comprises molybdenum and at least two additional elements selected from the list consisting of titanium, tantalum, chromium, hafnium, zirconium, and tungsten, and (ii) the sputtering target comprises:
 a continuous first phase comprising at least 50 atomic % molybdenum; 
 dispersed within the first phase, a discrete second phase comprising at least 50 atomic % of a first element selected from the list consisting of titanium, tantalum, chromium, hafnium, zirconium, and tungsten; and 
 dispersed within the first phase and/or within the second phase, a discrete third phase comprising at least 50 atomic % of a second element selected from the list consisting of titanium, tantalum, chromium, hafnium, zirconium, and tungsten, wherein the first and second elements are different. 
   
     
     
         23 . The process of  claim 22 , wherein the sputtering target is sputtered at a pressure of about 100 Torr or less. 
     
     
         24 . The process of  claim 22 , wherein the sputtering target is sputtered using a magnetic field and/or an electric field. 
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 22 , wherein a thickness of the layer is about 200 nm or less. 
     
     
         26 . The process of  claim 22 , wherein the substrate comprises silicon. 
     
     
         27 . The process of  claim 22 , wherein the substrate comprises glass. 
     
     
         28 . The process of  claim 22 , further comprising a conductive layer over the layer. 
     
     
         29 . The process of  claim 28 , wherein the conductive layer comprises at least one of Cu, Al, Ag, or Au. 
     
     
         30 . The process of  claim 22 , wherein (i) the substrate comprises a conductive layer thereover, and (ii) the layer is formed over the conductive layer. 
     
     
         31 . The process of  claim 30 , wherein the conductive layer comprises at least one of Cu, Al, Ag, or Au. 
     
     
         32 . The process of  claim 22 , wherein the first element is titanium. 
     
     
         33 . The process of  claim 22 , wherein the second element is tantalum. 
     
     
         34 . The process of  claim 22 , wherein the second element is chromium. 
     
     
         35 . The process of  claim 22 , further comprising, dispersed within the first phase and/or within the second phase, a discrete fourth phase comprising at least 50 atomic % of a third element selected from the list consisting of titanium, tantalum, chromium, hafnium, zirconium, and tungsten, wherein the third element is different from the first and second elements. 
     
     
         36 . The process of  claim 35 , wherein the first element is titanium, the second element is tantalum, and the third element is chromium. 
     
     
         37 . The process of  claim 22 , wherein a molybdenum concentration of the sputter target is about 40 atomic % or more. 
     
     
         38 . The process of  claim 22 , wherein a concentration of the first element in the sputtering target is about 1 atomic % or more. 
     
     
         39 . The process of  claim 38 , wherein a concentration of the second element in the sputtering target is about 1 atomic % or more. 
     
     
         40 . A device prepared in accordance with the process of  claim 22 , the device comprising at least a portion of the substrate and at least a portion of the layer. 
     
     
         41 . The device of  claim 40 , wherein the device comprises or is disposed within a data storage device, a solar cell, an optical disk, a display device, a camera, a cellular phone, a smartphone, a touch screen, a global positioning satellite device, a video recorder, or a video game.