US 12,460,300 B2
Method and apparatus for sputter deposition of target material to a substrate
Michael Edward Rendall, Newbury (GB); and Robert Ian Joseph Gruar, Swindon (GB)
Assigned to Dyson Technology Limited, Wiltshire (GB)
Appl. No. 17/776,590
Filed by Dyson Technology Limited, Wiltshire (GB)
PCT Filed Nov. 10, 2020, PCT No. PCT/GB2020/052839
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 12, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/094722, PCT Pub. Date May 20, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 1916622 (GB), filed on Nov. 15, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0389586 A1, Dec. 8, 2022
Int. Cl. C23C 14/56 (2006.01); C23C 16/455 (2006.01); C23C 16/52 (2006.01); H01J 37/32 (2006.01)
CPC C23C 16/52 (2013.01) [C23C 14/56 (2013.01); C23C 16/45536 (2013.01); H01J 37/3277 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for sputter deposition of target material to a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
a substrate guide arranged to guide a substrate along a curved path, wherein the substrate is in a form of a web;
a target portion spaced from the substrate guide and arranged to support target material, the target portion and the substrate guide defining between them a deposition zone; and
a confining arrangement comprising one or more magnetic elements arranged to provide a confining magnetic field to confine plasma in the deposition zone thereby to provide for sputter deposition of target material to the web of substrate in use, the confining magnetic field including magnetic field lines arranged to, at least in the deposition zone, substantially follow a curve of the curved path so as to confine said plasma around said curve of the curved path, wherein each of the one or more magnetic elements is in a form of a solenoid, the solenoid being elongate in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction of the magnetic field lines of the confining magnetic field in use.