Elizabeth Jean Lawrence

US Patent:

20120181165, Jul 19, 2012

Filed:

Jan 14, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/007335

Inventors:

Thomas Larson Greenberg - Berkeley CA, US
Elizabeth Dawn Lawrence - Mountain View CA, US

Assignee:

SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC - Scotts Valley CA

International Classification:

C23C 14/34

US Classification:

2041921, 20429807

Abstract:

A system and method for in-situ introduction of gas into a vacuum deposition chamber having a target with a length/width form factor ratio greater than 1 includes a plurality of manifolds arranged around the target to deliver a gas to the vacuum chamber. A gas supply is coupled to the manifolds, and a mass flow controller couples each manifold to the gas supply. Each manifold includes a plurality of orifices for introducing gas into the vacuum chamber from the manifold. The method includes arranging a plurality of manifolds around the target, providing a gas supply to the manifolds, controlling a flow rate of the gas with a mass flow controller between each manifold and the gas supply, introducing the gas into the vacuum chamber through orifices in the manifolds, and locating the manifolds and orifices on each manifold to introduce the gas in a controlled arranged manner about the target.