CVC Products DC Sputterer

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Trainers

The DC sputterer can be used to deposit virtually any metal. We have sputter targets for aluminum, copper, titanium, chrome, gold, platinum, nickel-chrome, and other materials.

Sputter coatings are performed by accelerating argon ions into the surface of a sputter target, which is made of the material to be applied to the sample. The argon ions cause atoms to be knocked off of the target and deposited on the sample being coated.

Features

• batch type production deposition system
• 8" aluminum and copper targets for rapid sputtering
• two user changeable targets for sputtering of many different metals
• optional substrate heating

Operating Characteristics

Operating Limits

Operating Instructions

I. Loading the Sputterer

1. Fill out the log book for this run before you start.
2. Check to make sure the target you want to use is installed.  There will be a set of yellow signs on the front of the machine that the have the name of the target in each station written on them.  Find the name of the material you want to use and note which station it is in.
3. Login to the machine.
4. The machine will display the Pal System Option Page.  This page allows you to run batches (Operate), edit/view batches (Batch), and edit/view recipes (Recipe).  To choose any options while using the sputterer, scroll through the names of the options using the cursor keys (Note:  the left and right arrow keys scroll through the first row of options, and the up and down arrows display any additional rows of options).  Press enter to select an option.
5. Choose Operate.  The machine will display the last page viewed in Operate mode.  To go to another page choose Select and choose the name of the page you wish to view.  Go to the Logo Page.
6. The Logo Page displays the logo of CVC.  Choose Direct Control. Choose RUN.  Choose VENT.
7. Wait till the screen says "****Chamber Vented Hoist Enabled****".  Then press and hold the Hoist Up button located above the monitor.  The top of the chamber will rise.  Continue holding the Hoist Up button until you can look under the top of the chamber and see the targets.  Then release the Hoist Up button.
8. Only one target is exposed at a time.  To look at another target.  Choose Select.  Choose Logo.  Choose Direct Control.  Choose RUN.  Choose the shutter you wish to view.  For example to view the target in station 3 choose SHUTTER3.
9. Visually inspect all the targets you plan to use.  Make sure that they are the proper material and that they are not melted or destroyed. If a target appears to be damaged, contact MiRC staff.
10. Load your samples into the chamber.  Small samples need to be pinned down using the wires provided.  Also samples should be no thicker than 3/8".
11. After your samples are loaded, turn ON the Rotostrate Control located near the bottom of the rack.  Set the speed (red knob) to 6.  Your samples should now be rotating.  Make sure that they stay pinned and do not move.

Caution: The hoist motor can apply several tons of force on the chamber lid. Be sure that no objects are under the lid and that everyone is clear of the lid before you lower it.

12. Press and hold the Hoist Down button above the monitor.  Release the button when the top chamber stops moving.

II. Running the Sputterer

1. Press Esc.  If you are not back at the Pal System Option Page, press Esc until you are.

A new batch and recipe pair have been created in order to replace all of the batches in the system. The batch name is Sequencer and the recipe is SEQ. Please use these instead of the other batches. Full instructions for the sequencer are available.

2. Now that your samples are loaded you need to setup the batch you are going to run. A batch is set of one or more recipes that the machine will run together.  There is separate recipe for each target.  Choose Batch from the Pal System Option Page. Choose Select.  Choose the name of the batch you wish to run. If you do not know what batch you want, you may need to look at a few and see which one will run the gun that the target you are using is attached to.
3. The screen now displays a list of the recipes that the batch runs. If you are looking for a batch to use for a given target, look for a batch that runs a recipe called STATION.nL, where n is the station you are using. Each station is labelled. Write down the names of the recipes that the batch runs (these are the things on the step name list). Press Esc.
4. Esc back to the Pal System Option Page.
5. Choose Recipe.  Choose Different Recipe/Class.  Choose the recipe you want to edit.
6. The screen now displays the parameters of the recipe you chose.  To change one of the parameters.  Choose Edit Step.  Highlight the name of the parameter you wish to change using the cursor keys.  Press Enter.  Type in the new value and press Enter.  Press Esc to save.
7. When you have set the parameters you want, Esc back to the Pal System Option Page.
8. If you are using Stations 3 or 4, turn on the red MDX-1.5K power supply.  If you are using heat in your batch, turn on the Work Heater. Make sure the DC Power Interlock (under rotostrate control) is on.
9. Choose Operate.  Go the Logo Page.  Go to Select.  Choose Direct Control.  Choose RUN.  Choose the name of your batch. The sputterer will perform the process now. Some stages of the process will take a while. The screen will display "****Chamber Vented Hoist Enabled***" when the process is complete.

 III. Unloading Sputterer

1. When your batch is done running, the screen will say "****Chamber Vented Hoist Enabled****".  Press and hold the Hoist Up button.  Once the top of the chamber is up, release the button and remove your samples.
2. Press and hold the Hoist Down button until the top of the chamber stops.
3. Go to the Logo page. Choose Direct Control.  Choose RUN.  Choose PUMPDOWN.
4. When the HI VAC valve opens and the ionization gauge at the top of the rack reads pressure, Esc back to the Pal System Option Page.
5. Press Esc again to logout.  When the screen prompts use exit PAL System say N for NO.
6. If there were any problems with this run, please note them in the log book and in the comments book in the gowning room.

Changing Targets

1. Press ESC until the main menu is displayed. Press "O" for Operate.
2. If the chamber is not open, check to see if "***CHAMBER VENTED HOIST ENABLED***" appears at the bottom of the screen. If this message does not appear, you will need to vent the chamber by doing the following:
   1. Using the arrow keys, choose SELECT, then choose LOGO.
   2. Choose DIRECT CONTROL, then select RUN and select VENT.
   3. Wait for the message "***CHAMBER VENTER HOIST ENABLED***" to appear at the bottom of the screen.
3. Make sure the the chamber vented message is displayed at the bottom of the screen, then press and hold the HOIST UP button over the monitor to raise the hoist. You need to get the hoist high enough that you can reach the target. You can adjust its height later using the HOIST UP and HOIST DOWN buttons, so do not worry about the exact height at this time.
4. Using the arrow keys, choose SELECT, then select LOGO and press enter.
5. Select DIRECT CONTROL and press enter.
6. Select RUN and press enter.
7. Select SHUTTERN, where N is the number of the station where you are changing the target and press enter.
8. At this point you should be able to see the target and shield from the bottom, through the hole in the shutter.
9. The shield has no screws. It is removed by turning counter-clockwise (when looking at the target). Hold the shaft of the gun while unscrewing the shield. This will prevent damage to the internal components of the gun.
10. Wipe the conductive paste off of the back side of the target and off of the bottom of the sputter gun.
11. Put the target in the appropriate box and store it in the drybox near the filament evaporator.
12. Get the new target out of the box.
13. Coat the back side of the new target with conductive paste. Use only a very small amount of paste. You only need a very thin layer of paste on the target. Try to avoid getting paste on the front of the target.
14. Put the target in the clamp and hold the clamp in position under the sputter gun. Look under the lid directly at the gun. The clamp should screw on easily. If you are having difficulty you must take the clamp and target out and try screwing it in again until it screws on easily. If it screws on easily screw it on until the target just touches the gun.
15. Once the target touches the gun move it around until it is in between the ridges of the gun and then tighten it completely.
16. Look at the target from the side, through the space between the shutter and the lid. The target should be flat against the gun. If it is not, you need to take it off and reinstall it.
17. To install the shield, screw it on the gun till the gap between the shield and the target is a quarter of an inch.
18. Using a multimeter, check to be sure that the target and shield are not electrically connected. The easiest way to do this is to use the meters diode check function. Put one probe on the target and one on the shield. The meter should not beep. If the meter does beep, there is a problem. If this occurs, contact MiRC staff. Do not operate the sputterer if the target is electrically connected to the shield.

What Happens When the Batch is Running

1. The roughing valve is opened and the mechanical pump pumps the chamber to 300 millitorr.
2. The roughing valve is closed and the high vacuum valve is opened. The ion gauge is turned on. The cryo-pump pumps the chamber to 5 x 10^-6 torr.
3. The throttle valve is closed, partially obstructing the path from the chamber to the cryo-pump. Argon is admitted to the chamber and the chamber pressure is raised to 6 millitorr.
4. For each material being deposited:
1. The shutter on the bottom of the chamber lid (under the sputtering guns) is moved to a station that is not currently being run.
2. One of the power supplies on the instrument rack applies power to the sputtering gun that is being run. The power supply gradually ramps the power to the setpoint set in the appropriate Recipe screen.
3. The shutter is turned to expose the running sputtering gun. The process timer begins counting down from the time set in the appropriate Recipe screen.
4. When the timer reaches zero, the power supply shuts off.
5. The argon is shut off. In most cases the high vacuum valve is closed at this point, the ion gauge is tuned off, and the chamber is vented to atmospheric pressure with nitrogen. In some cases, the throttle valve will open and the cryo-pump will remain pumping on the chamber after the run.

Troubleshooting

Nothing was deposited on my sample during the run.

The sputterer doesn't ever start sputtering.

Physical Components

• ion gauge (top left) - indicates chamber pressure, when below 1.0E-4 Torr
• signal conditioner (top right)
• interlock controller (below ion gauge)
• heater controller (third from top) - controlls heater in station 1 and displays heater temperature when heater is active
• hoist controller (above computer monitor) - buttons for raising and lowering the lid
• computer (monitor and keyboard) - controls entire system
• MDX1.5X power supply (below disk drive) - supplies power to stations 3 and 4
• interlock control panel (below MDX1.5X power supply)
• rotostrate control panel (below interlock panel) - controls rotation rate of the sample holder in the chamber
• MDX Magnetron Drive power supply (at bottom) - supplies power to station 2

• Sputterer lid - in the lid are four deposition stations
  • Station 1 - 8" aluminum target
  • Station 2 - 8" copper target
  • Stations 3 and 4 - 3" chrome, nickel-chrome, gold, titanium, and other user-installed targets
• Sputterer chamber base - under the chamber there is a heater
• Lid hoist - for raising and lowering the lid
• Rotostrate - rotating substrate holder with six sample holder trays
• Viewport - to the right of the chamber itself, this window allows visual inspection of the sputtering process while in operation

Operating Software

• Screens - There are four main screens that the user will find displayed. These screens are the PAL System screen, PUMPDOWN screen, LOGO screen and DEP.STATIONS screen. The PAL System screen offers menus for access to the batch and recipe information. The PUMPDOWN screen displays a schematic of the sputterer that includes information such as valve states, chamber pressure, pumpdown time, etc. The LOGO screen is used to run and stop batches. The DEP.STATIONS screen appears when the sputterer is depositing metal and displays station power readings, gas flows, chamber pressure, and other information. To toggle between screens, press any key and select the desired screen name from the list provided, or hit escape to reach the PAL System screen.
• Batches - A batch is a set of recipes that instruct the sputterer which recipes to run, and in what order. Batches are named to represent the station recipes which that batch contains. Users are not permitted to modify batches, they must contact MiRC staff if a batch does not exist to meet their processing needs.
• Recipes - A recipe is a set of processing parameters for each station in the sputterer. For the heater, station 1B, users are only permitted to alter the temperature, clean time, and process time variables. For deposition stations 2L, 3L, and 4L, users are only permitted to alter the power setting, clean time, and process time variables.