US 12,486,567 B2
Film formation method and film formation apparatus
Naoki Takahashi, Yamanashi (JP)
Assigned to TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Nov. 27, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/519,586.
Claims priority of application No. 2022-194696 (JP), filed on Dec. 6, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0183027 A1, Jun. 6, 2024
Int. Cl. C23C 14/54 (2006.01); C23C 14/34 (2006.01); C23C 14/35 (2006.01); C23C 14/50 (2006.01); H01J 37/34 (2006.01)
CPC C23C 14/54 (2013.01) [C23C 14/3407 (2013.01); C23C 14/35 (2013.01); C23C 14/50 (2013.01); H01J 37/3405 (2013.01); H01J 37/3435 (2013.01); H01J 37/3455 (2013.01); H01J 2237/332 (2013.01)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A film formation method comprising:
providing a film formation apparatus including
a substrate support configured to support a substrate,
a target holder configured to hold a target such that the target faces the substrate support, and supplied with a power from a power supply, and
a magnet unit including a magnet provided on a side of the target holder opposite to the substrate support;
forming a film on the substrate by a magnetron sputtering of the target; and
during the forming the film, performing a first serial communication to repeatedly acquire information on the power from the power supply,
wherein during the forming the film,
the magnet unit oscillates in a predetermined direction along the target held by the target holder,
a second serial communication with the power supply is performed to switch the power supplied to the target holder at a time point when the magnet unit reaches a predetermined power switching position while oscillating, such that when the magnet unit faces an end of the target in the predetermined direction, the power supplied to the target holder increases, and when the magnet unit faces a center of the target in the predetermined direction, the power supplied to the target holder decreases, and
the first serial communication stops for a time period from a predetermined time before the time point when the magnet unit reaches the power switching position until the second serial communication to switch the power supplied to the target holder is completed.