Controlling thickness distribution in vacuum coating of substrate, comprises placing cathode and anode in vacuum chamber, where plasma discharge is generated during treating the substrate in plasma area defined between cathode and substrate

• Main Authors: STURM, RALF, DIETSCH, TINA, BENECKE, FRANK, TEICHERT, BERND, KNOTH, THOMAS
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; German
• Published: 24.10.2013
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; CHEMISTRY; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATIONOR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY IONIMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS; ELECTRICITY; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION INGENERAL; METALLURGY; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THESURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION

Controlling a thickness distribution in a vacuum coating of a substrate, comprises placing a cathode (10) having an extension extending parallel and distance from the substrate surface and at least one anode (12) adjacent to the cathode in a vacuum chamber (20), such that a plasma area (15) is defined between the cathode and a substrate (13), and in which a plasma discharge is generated during treating the substrate, by a cathode which is operated with a vacuum chamber lying on ground against the ground-suppressor circuit, and/or inserts of the vacuum chamber lying on ground. Controlling a thickness distribution in a vacuum coating of a substrate by cathode sputtering, comprises placing a cathode (10) having an extension extending parallel and distance from the substrate surface and at least one anode (12) adjacent to the cathode in a vacuum chamber (20), such that a plasma area (15) is defined between the cathode and a substrate (13), and in which a plasma discharge is generated during treating the substrate, by a cathode which is operated with a vacuum chamber lying on ground against the ground-suppressor circuit, and/or inserts of the vacuum chamber lying on ground, and the first cathode or further cathode is operated with the anode against an anode suppressor circuit. An independent claim is also included for an apparatus for controlling a thickness distribution in a vacuum coating of a substrate, comprising either one cathode or two cathodes having a target of coating material, arranged in a vacuum chamber; an extension; and at least one anode arranged adjacent to the cathode such that a plasma region is defined, for generating a plasma discharge for sputtering the target, where the cathode is operated with a mass-suppressor circuit against the ground and the further cathode is operated with respect to an anode circuit against the anode. Die Erfindung ein Verfahren und dazu verwendete Vorrichtung zum Steuern einer Schichtdickenverteilung in einer Vakuumbeschichtung eines Substrats mittels Kathodenzerstäubung, wobei in einer Vakuumkammer 20 eine Kathode 10 und benachbart dazu zumindest eine Anode 12 angeordnet sind, so dass zwischen der Kathode 10 und einem Substrat 13 ein Plasmabereich 15 definiert ist, in welchem eine Plasmaentladung erzeugt wird. Um die Schichtdickenverteilung in einem Vakuumprozess einfach und schnell sowie lokal differenziert zu verändern, so dass ohne oder durch minimale Prozessunterbrechung eine Drift in der Schichtdickenverteilung während des Prozesses kompensierbar ist, wird während der Behandlung des Substrats 13 ein Plasma mittels einer Kathode 10 erzeugt die gegenüber Masse betrieben wird sowie mittels besagter oder einer weiteren Kathode 10, die gegenüber zumindest einer Anode 12 betrieben wird.