US 12,334,319 B2
Physical vapor deposition (PVD) with target erosion profile monitoring
Chia-Hsi Wang, Changhua County (TW); and Yen-Yu Chen, Taichung (TW)
Assigned to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed on Jun. 20, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/337,430.
Prior Publication US 2024/0429036 A1, Dec. 26, 2024
Int. Cl. C23C 14/34 (2006.01); C23C 14/54 (2006.01); H01J 37/34 (2006.01)
CPC H01J 37/3479 (2013.01) [C23C 14/3407 (2013.01); C23C 14/54 (2013.01); H01J 37/3435 (2013.01); H01J 2237/332 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A physical vapor deposition (PVD) system comprising:
a chamber body;
a substrate support disposed within the chamber body and capable of supporting a substrate;
a PVD target comprising:
a target plate comprising a target material, wherein the target plate having a flat top surface; and
a backing plate comprising:
a central section;
a peripheral section circumferentially surrounding the central section in a horizontal plane, wherein the peripheral section has a first thickness in a vertical direction, the central section has a second thickness in the vertical direction, and the first thickness is larger than the second thickness, and wherein the peripheral section of the backing plate bends upward after the target material is consumed; and
a flat bottom surface, wherein the flat bottom surface of the backing plate is attached to the flat top surface of the target plate, defining a flat interface between the backing plate and the target plate; and
a target profile monitoring subsystem configured to monitor usage of the target plate.