THOMAS MEIDLINGER, Micronas GmbH, Freiburg, Germany
DANIEL R. MARX, Praxair MRC*, Orangeburg, NY, USA
JEAN-PIERRE BLANCHET, MRC SA, Toulouse, France
ABSTRACT
Enhancements to existing target designs developed by Praxair MRC are shown to generate significant reductions in cost of ownership in the PVD sputtering process. Tests at Micronas GmbH illustrate how a ring-enhanced aluminium alloy target provides a productivity gain both through increased erosion efficiency and through a 33% extension in target life while maintaining excellent uniformity. A 65% lifetime extension provided by recess-enhanced titanium targets provides a route to a reduction in Ti target consumption by 40%. The film quality met all requirements throughout the target lives.