Vacuum characteristics of sprayed metal films

The need to reduce particles in semiconductor equipment and data storage eq uipment is in high demand. In recent years, barrier and glue layers on shie lds have been used to reduce particles generated in physical vapor depositi on equipment. For this purpose, spray coatings are applied to shields. Alth ough the sprayed metal films are exposed to vacuum in a vacuum chamber, the ir vacuum characteristics have seldom been investigated. The conventional s pray coatings are usually done under atmospheric conditions. In order to ob tain a layer that has a better vacuum characteristic, spray coating in a ch amber filled with an inert gas was developed. Outgassing characteristics of sprayed aluminum films and titanium films were investigated by using the c onductance modulation method. A sprayed metal film produced in an inert gas system showed a lower outgassing rate than that produced in an atmospheric condition. (C) 2001 American Vacuum Society.