New Facing Targets Sputtering System
Overview | Features | Principle | Applications | Product Information
The Principles and Properties of Conventional Facing Targets Sputtering (CFTS) and New Facing Targets Sputtering (NFTS)
CFTS Structure | CFTS/CMS Differences | CFTS Issues | NFTS Improvements | NFTS Plasma Source
NFTS Improvements for CFTS Technical Issues
NFTS Plasma Scourse Schematic
NFTS Plasma Source Erosion Profile
NFTS technology has some different properties in magnetic field distribution and target holder configuration relative to CFTS. Then the solutions of the two serious issues with CFTS are mentioned here. First, the improvement for symmetrical plasma generation is explained as follows. NFTS plasma sources consist of the structure in which the magnets forming magnetic fields are arranged around the outside of the main targets and not beneath the backing plate of the targets, as shown in the left figure. This magnets arrangement realize the formation of magnetron type distribution of magnetic field on the outside region of targets surfaces, because of the self return pass of magnetic flux. That is, NFTS technology makes it possible to generate magnetron like plasma on the outside region of target surfaces in addition to CFTS sputtering plasma.
As a result, NFTS technology allows to generate magnetron like sputtering plasma around the outside region of large sized rectangle targets for wide area coating. This plasma characteristic brings about not only the formation of the symmetrical magnetron plasma confinement around the outside region of target surfaces, but also the improvement of symmetrical erosion area. For this reason, NFTS technology has high target material utilization and superior film thickness uniformity across wide areas. As an example of erosion profile of a small sized NFTS plasma source, The right figure shows an erosion profile of 120 mm x 120 mm size metal target. This figure shows that NFTS technology makes it possible to obtain uniform erosion profile across the whole of the targets.