Optimizing the Position of a Rotating Substrate during Magnetron Deposition of Thickness-Uniform Coatings

Abstract

An analytical model of the sputter deposition on an inclined flat rotating substrate, which is shifted relative to the magnetron, is developed for a magnetron with a disk cathode. The angular distribution of sputtered atoms, the profile of the cathode erosion zone, and the energy efficiency of sputtering that were measured directly on the magnetron, were used as the initial data. The magnetron was used to verify the results of calculations. This made it possible to indirectly take such effects as scattering and diffusion of the sputtered material during its transport to the substrate into account, as well as the design features of the magnetron. The\xa0calculation and experimental verification of its accuracy were carried out for Cu. The results of the numerical analysis of the presence of such a substrate position, which is optimal according to the criterion of the maximum sputtered-material transfer to the substrate, are presented. It was shown that there is only one set of optimal positioning parameters that meet this requirement. A comparative analysis of the efficiency of material transfer with and without a substrate tilt was performed. It was shown that a tilt provides a significant (more than 60% for the magnetron used) increase in the material transfer. These results can be used to optimize the sputter deposition process with increased requirements for the thickness uniformity of a coating and for the complex development of the deposition equipment.