In the last couple of writings we described how powder metallurgy can be used to fabricate sputtering targets by sintering the individual particles of a specified composition into a solid shape. Additionally we explained some of the short comings associated with the simple Hot Pressing of certain types of materials and geometries. To eliminate some of the issues associated with applying heat and pressure under static conditions it is possible to provide the necessary energy to sinter the granular particles &#;Isostatically&#; (equalized heat and pressure effectively applied in all directions). This is referred to as Hot Isostatic Pressing or HIP&#;ing. Here, in the final episode of this trilogy on powder metallurgical processing of metal matrix composite materials to produce sputtering targets, the method of HIP&#;ing will be described.
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HIP&#;ing supplies the necessary energy to promote diffusion of the individual atoms to be sintered under Isostatic conditions. HIP&#;ing is the simultaneous application of high temperature and pressure to powdered metal matrix composite materials under a specified cycle of rise and soak times to alter the physical properties of the materials being fabricated. Under these controlled conditions the individual particles fuse together to reduce porosity and increase the density, thus improving the mechanical stability and usability of the material as a sputtering target.
In operation, the powdered material to be consolidated is typically &#;canned&#; or placed into some form of malleable or ductile sheet material which has been previously formed into a near-net-shape of the finished dimensions associated with the sputtering targets being produced.
This canned material is then placed into a high pressure containment vessel. To provide an isostatic pressure on the materials being consolidated, a media is pressurized pneumatically with high powered pumps. Argon is often the media of choice in HIP&#;ing due to its neutral or chemically inert nature. Argon can be both heated and pressurized simultaneously and isostatically to provide the energy necessary to facilitate the diffusion of the atoms in the particles being consolidated. Although the actual HIP&#;ing cycle parameters vary as a function the materials being fabricated they are generally in the range from 20,000 to 100,000 PSI pressure and 500C to 2,000C in temperature. Care must be taken to apply these various pressure and thermal cycles slowly to allow for equilibrium conditions to exist enabling sufficient time for plastic deformation to take place through diffusion, creep and migration at the individual particle interfaces. HIP&#;ing applies the pressure and heat to the materials being processed uniformly across the entire surface of the canned materials being sintered. It is the application of this energy uniformly across the entire surface of the material being consolidated that provides the homogeneity of density and composition with low internal stress of the finished consolidated sputtering target.
After consolidation, the encapsulated solid matter can be removed from the canister by either peeling off the outer shell or machining it off mechanically leaving a near-net-shape part that can then be machined to the final dimensional tolerances with numerically controlled equipment. The final product is a fully homogeneous, stress free composition ready for physical vapor deposition. This process is ideally suited for larger sputtering targets , targets which may consist of multi piece &#;Tiles&#; which are bonded to a backing plate, complex geometries and rotatable composite targets which may, or may not be, bonded to metal backing tubes depending on the overall dimensions.
You may be familiar with aluminum but unfamiliar with aluminum sputter targets. But to some extent, they are the same, consisting of atom Al. In a word, the aluminum sputtering target can be considered a product after a series of processes from high-purity aluminum. Aluminum target is a type of sputtering material used mounted on a vacuum coating machine to deposit a thin film in the vacuum coating industry. The property of the sputtering target directly affects the performance of the obtained film. Here is a short introduction to SAM&#;s aluminum sputter target, including how it is made, and its properties, classifications, and applications.
Aluminum Sputter Target Manufacturing Processes
By extracting aluminum oxide (Al2O3) from bauxite, and then electrolyzing Al2O3 in molten cryolite, a rough aluminum of 99% purity can be obtained. 99% sounds not bad, but it is still not the best raw material for producing an aluminum sputtering target if you want to coat a high-quality thin film. The first and most important requirement of sputter targets is high purity. The high-purity aluminum can be produced by the segregation method, three-layer electrolysis method, or combined regional melting method. Since the complex purification process, the high-purity aluminum price is higher than industrial aluminum. SAM provides aluminum targets of high quality and at a competitive price.
High-purity aluminum ingot is used as the raw materials of the aluminum sputter coater target. There are several steps, including forging, rolling, and heating, so that the crystal grains in the aluminum ingot are fined and the density is increased to meet the requirements of the Al sputter target required for sputtering. Then, the deformed high-purity aluminum material is processed into a target size required for the vacuum coater. The requirements for aluminum target processing are high precision and high surface quality.
Aluminum Sputter Target Specifications
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Aluminum Sputter Target Physical Properties
Aluminum Sputter Target Classification
Aluminum sputtering materials can be divided into planar targets and rotatory targets. Planar aluminum targets are sheet-shaped, with round, square, and other shapes. The rotatory aluminum target is tubular and has high utilization efficiency. But the process of making a rotatory target is much more difficult. A rotatory aluminum target can be obtained through high-purity aluminum extrusion, stretching, straightening heat treatment, machining, and other processing steps.
Aluminum Sputter Target Application
Aluminum sputter targets can be used in DC dipole sputtering, three-pole sputtering, four-stage sputtering, RF sputtering, counter target sputtering, ion beam sputtering, magnetron sputtering to produce reflective films, conductive films, semiconductor films, capacitor films, decorative films, protective films, integrated circuits, displays, etc. Compared with other sputtering targets, the price of aluminum targets is lower, so it is a preferred choice under the premise of satisfying the function of the film layer.
Further Reading: Applications of Aluminum Sputtering Targets in Thin Film Technology
Aluminum Sputter Target Market
With the rapid development of the electronics industry, the demand for aluminum sputtering targets is also increasing. There is still room for improvement in the purity of aluminum targets; in addition, market standardization of aluminum sputter targets needs to be strengthened.
Thanks for reading this passage and hope you now have a basic understanding of aluminum sputter targets. Stanford Advanced Materials (SAM) is a leading sputtering target manufacturer based in Lake Forest, California. If you feel interested in the aluminum targets, you can go to our product page for more information, or directly send us an inquiry. You can also contact us via . Free samples are available.
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