Thin‐Film PVD: Materials, Processes, and Equipment

Sputtering is a phenomenon where the surface atoms or molecules of a solid target are ejected when high energy particles collide against its surface. This chapter presents the evolution of ULVAC sputtering equipment used across all the thin-film transistor (TFT) manufacturing generations. In 1993 when the flat panel display (FPD) market was booming, ULVAC developed and released the first cluster-type sputtering physical vapor deposition (PVD) equipment for use in the TFT array manufacturing process. The chapter focuses on the new TFT material used in the transparent oxide semiconductor (TOS) represented by indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO), including suggestion of the optimal cathode type as well as the sputtering technology. The copper-alloy developed by ULVAC can achieve a low-resistance metallization film featured by better barrier performance and adhesion property with the glass substrate and base layer than those of existing metal films.