PURPOSE: To perform stable sputtering at a high speed by controlling target voltage to voltage lower than arc-extinguishing voltage by a detected target current signal and recovering the voltage to the target voltage in a sputtering state after the arc extinguishment.
CONSTITUTION: The inside of a vacuum chamber 3 is evacuated to a required degree of vacuum by an evacuation system. A magnetic field is formed in parallel with the bar-like shaft of a target 1 by a coil power source 12, and an electric field intersecting orthogonally with the magnetic field is formed by a sputtering power source 10. Magnetron discharge is induced in such a way and plasma is generated by said discharge, by which plasma the target 1 is sputtered and a film is formed on a substrate 2. In case an electric arc is generated near the surface of the target 1, the arc is extinguished by a control circuit 20 which detects the arc from the increase in the output current of the power source 10, drops the voltage of the power source 10 to the voltage lower than the arc- extinguishing voltage automatically and restores the voltage in a sputtering state again after the arc extinguishment.
HOSOKAWA NAOKICHI
MISUMI TAKASHI
SATOU YOSHIAKI
NASHIMOTO KIYOSHI
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