WO2001094659A2

WO2001094659A2 - Sputtering target

Info

Publication number: WO2001094659A2
Application number: PCT/US2001/017338
Authority: WO
Inventors: Philip George Pitcher; Zhihua Yan; Jaeyeon Kim; Michael Alan Rushing
Original assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
Priority date: 2000-06-02
Filing date: 2001-05-29
Publication date: 2001-12-13
Also published as: AU6512601A; WO2001094659A3

Abstract

A process, device and target for making sputtered films with a plasma, wherein sputtering employs a target having a grain size less than 50 νm and a defect concentration less than a FOM of 2000 to reduce arcing.

Description

SPUTTERING METHOD, APPARATUS, AND TARGET FOR REDUCED ARCING

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the preparation of thin films by magnetron sputter deposition which reduces arcing by employing targets having fine grain size and a low defect concentration. Background of the Invention

Sputter deposition, also known as sputter coating or sputtering is used extensively in many industries including the microelectronics, data storage and display industries to name but a few. Sputter deposition is one of the most important commercial processes for depositing thin films of a desired material onto a substrate. Generally, the term sputtering refers to an "atomistic" process in which neutral, or charged, particles (atoms or molecules) are ejected from the surface of a target material through bombardment with energetic particles originating from a plasma, formed in the vicinity of the target surface, and accelerated towards the target surface by a electric field produced by electrically biasing the target. The target is electrically energized and biased by a power supply coupled to the target. A portion of the sputtered particles condenses onto a substrate to form a thin film. The biasing may be direct current (dc), radio frequency (rf) or mid-frequency (mf). The science and technology of sputtering is well known and described for example in Nossen, J.L., Kern, W., Thin Film Processes, Academic Press (1978). One category of sputtering processes is known as magnetron sputtering. Magnetron sputtering is the most widely used form of sputtering and is the mainstay of commercial sputter deposition processes. In magnetron sputtering, crossed electric and magnetic fields generated by a magnetron assist in the sputtering by concentrating sputtering action.

Arcing at the sputter target is a significant problem in magnetron sputtering. Arcing events at the target can contribute to defects at the wafer (substrate). If relatively uncontrolled they can be the primary source of wafer damage and particulates. Therefore, a reduced number (frequency) and intensity of target arcing events should produce lower wafer defect densities and therefore improve process yield. Arcing can also lead to an undesirable reduction in target lifetime. The intensity and frequency of arcing may be reduced through the power supply, e.g., use of an imposed ac bias on target and arc suppression electronics and improvements in process and chamber design.

Sub-micron interconnect technology, increasing wafer size and process/product economics place a continuing emphasis on improving the yield component lost by arcing related wafer defects.

A sputter deposition technology (further described below), in which arcing at the sputter target could be further minimized through target materials engineering, would be of significant technical and commercial value with a wide scope of technological application. Such a target technology may allow the following to be improved: wafer defect density, wafer yield, target lifetime, and thereby process economics. Improved sputtering is of critical importance, e.g., in emerging submicron semiconductor interconnect metalization and high density data storage media applications.

In general, magnetron sputtering uses crossed electric and magnetic field configurations to concentrate the sputtering action. Generally, a negative bias is applied to the target via a power supply to form a plasma, hence the magnetron and target assembly, which form the basic elements of the sputter source, is referred to as the cathode or magnetron sputter cathode. Typically, but not exclusively, magnets are positioned behind the sputter target. Magnetic field lines penetrate the target, threading through the low-pressure gas environment above the target before re-entering the target body. The configuration of crossed electric and magnetic fields are designed to confine electrons emitted through the bombardment of the target by energetic gas phase ions (and/or atoms) and increase the effective path length of ionizing electrons. A drift velocity is imparted on the electron motion. Their net motion describing a closed loop or so called "racetrack". The overall effect is to increase the efficiency of ionizing the process gas and therefore the density of ions in the plasma. The consequent increased target bombardment enhances the efficiency of the sputtering process.

Both fixed and movable magnet structures have been utilized in magnetron sputtering. In one prior art sputtering system utilizing a moving magnet, the target is circular and the magnet structure rotates with respect to the center of the target. In a second prior art sputtering system utilizing a moving magnet, the target is rectangular or square and the magnet structure is scanned along a linear path with respect to the target. In a third prior art sputtering system, the target is rectangular and the substrate is moved in a plane parallel to the surface of the target during sputtering. The second type of sputtering system is known as a linear scan sputtering system and disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,382,344 to Hosokawa et al and U.S. Pat. No. 5,565,071 to Demaray et al, United States Patent numbers 5,298,137 to Marshall, III, 5,328,585 to Stevenson, et al., and 5,873,989 to Hughes, et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Linear scanning refers to a constant velocity of the magnetron as it sweeps over the area of target whose sputter emission will produce deposition on the substrate.

The target assembly may include a sputter target and backing plate or be of monolithic construction, that is, the sputter target and backing plate are formed from a single piece of material. This assembly may include several possible elements in addition to the sputter target and backing-plate, for example, possibly a heat exchanger assembly. Improved sputtering targets would be beneficial in a variety of sputtering technologies or techniques. For example it would benefit magnetron sputtering, diode sputtering, long throw sputtering, ionized plasma vapor deposition (IPND), self-ionized plasma sputter deposition techniques, hollow cathode sputter deposition techniques, and reactive sputtering.

In ionized plasma vapor deposition (IPND) techniques a coil is located in the vacuum chamber between the sputtering cathode and substrate, e.g., wafer, on which the film is to be deposited. The coil is configured to form a secondary plasma in the region above the substrate. The magnetron sputtered particles pass through a relatively high pressure ambient for creating the desired secondary plasma to undergo significant gas phase scattering, ionization (partial) in the secondary plasma followed by electrostatic deflection towards the substrate surface. At the substrate, partial resputtering of the growing film by the electrostatically accelerated particles is used to control film characteristics. For example bottom and sidewall coverage in semiconductor interconnect applications. Clearly complex post sputter emission processes are central to the directionality and the degree of conformal coverage achieved by the IPND technique. U.S. Patent o. 5,948,215; U.S. Patent No. 5,178,739; and Patent Cooperation Treaty published application No. WO 98/48444 disclose ionized plasma vapor deposition processes, and are incorporated herein by reference.

Reactive sputtering is generally described by Nossen, et al, Thin Film Processes, Academic Press (1978), incorporated herein by reference. Typically, in reactive sputtering a reactive gas or gases is added to an inert gas such that the plasma contains reactive species allowing the formation of compound thin films. Reactive gases can include for example oxygen, nitrogen, methane, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, etc. as is well known in the art.

Summary of the Invention

An object of the present invention is to provide a sputtering process having less arcing from the target and, hence, a higher recovery of sputtered wafers.

Another preferred object of the present invention is to provide devices for use in sputtering.

Another preferred object of the present invention is to provide improved articles, e.g., targets, for use in sputtering. The present invention relates to a new sputter deposition technology to avoid arc-created defects in valuable wafers. Target engineering is an approach to reduce arcing related film defect generation that has been relatively little exploited. Thus, the present invention technology differs from other techniques by employing targets which simultaneously have fine grain size and a low number of defects. The present inventors have found that fine grain size and low defect concentrations in sputter target material can significantly reduce the number of target arcing events.

Wafer defects can be characterized with a variety of devices by using optical interference, microscopy techniques, mechanical measurement, or electrical measurement. One example is the particle inspection system based on optical interference, such as the KLA AIT 8010 Particle Inspection System. In its device aspects, the present invention provides a device for sputtering which includes any sputtering device which employs a plasma and the present advantageous target. The present invention may be used to improve target materials having any elemental compositions, e.g., alloys, pure elemental materials, or chemical compounds, used for sputtering. Typical target materials include copper, tantalum, aluminum, titanium, cobalt, nitrides, suicides or mixtures or alloys thereof. ' Advantageously, the present invention provides methods and apparatus employing a sputtering article, e.g., target, whose emitting surface (surface for emitting sputtered particles) has a sufficiently fine average grain size and sufficiently low defect concentration to produce, by a sputtering process, a processed wafer having less than 0.06 particles per cm² of the wafer processed surface, wherein the particles have a diameter of at most 0.2 μm. The wafer acts as a substrate. The term "wafer processed surface" means the surface of the wafer upon which a thin film is deposited by sputtering. Brief Description of the Drawings

Fig. 1 shows a plot of Accumulated Arc Count v. Target Life for a 30 μm average grain size 6N Cu Target. Fig. 2 shows a plot of Accumulated Arc Count v. Target Life for a 9.5 μm average grain size 6N Cu Target.

Fig. 3 shows a plot of Accumulated Arc Count v. Target Life for a 50 μm average grain size 5N Al-0.5Cu-0.2Si Target and a 0.5 μm 5N Al-0.5Cu-0.2Si Target.

Fig. 4 shows a plot of Accumulated Arc Count v. Target Life for a 0.5 μm average grain size 5N Al-0.5Cu-0.2Si Target and a 0.5 μm 5N Al-0.5Cu-0.2Si Target.

Figs. 5A and 5B show optical and SEM views, respectively, of an Al - alloy Target Splat Defect Site.

Fig. 6 shows an SEM view of Cu Target Antenna Defects.

Figs. 7 A and 7B show multi-lobe embodiments indicating the location of the centerline of magnets.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

In the present invention, targets having fine grain size and low defect content are advantageously combined in a practical manner to minimize arcing while performing the deposition technique. The present inventors have discovered that arcing phenomena and arcing- related film defect generation result from complex interactions between target materials characteristics, cathode design, process parametrics and operation. The present inventors have also found that target grain size and defect content, e.g., purity, gas content, inclusions, microcracks and voids, etc., can have a significant influence on arcing characteristics and potential target related film defect generation. As a result, the present inventors produced target materials with improved target microstructure and defect content. These materials unexpectedly result in sputtering targets which dramatically lower target related arcing and dramatically lower defect generation and may advantageously reduce target burn-in times.

Sputtering plasmas are very susceptible to arcing. The Paschen curve, i.e., the characteristic voltage - current density curve, describes the plasma states, or modes, which characterize the low energy, glow discharge plasmas used in sputtering. Small increases in current density level beyond the abnormal, or super glow region in sputtering will push the plasma state into the arc discharge region. It is only necessary for a single point in the plasma to exceed the threshold critical arc plasma current density for an arc to form. Any perturbation that produces the local current density to increase may result in arcing events. In the arc discharge region, the plasma impedance collapses due to the regenerative gain produced by thermal ionization from the arc discharge. Consequently, all the available energy is then driven into the arc discharge. This generates very high temperatures and further thermal ionization, which continues to lower the plasma electrical impedance. The collapse of the plasma energy to very high energy densities in a point arc discharge results in particulates and wafer damage through thermal disruption of the target surface.

Potential arc site defects in targets include the following.

• Insulators, microcapacitive regions or relatively electrically poorly conducting regions. • Defects that sputter at a lower rate than the surrounding matrix, creating "antennae" structures that extend from the surface and act as localized regions of high electric field.

• Trapped gases, which once released through action of sputter erosion can create a momentary localized pressure gradient conducive to arc creation.

• Geometric features at the target surface that locally enhance electric field intensity, produced for example by cracks, the effect of grain size, shape, orientation influence on erosion topology of the microstructure.

• Inclusions, for example, oxide or graphite streamers or particles.

• Regions of poor thermal conductivity or localized heating. Production of fine grained materials and low defect materials -FINE GRAINED: Many well known techniques e.g., ECAE, cryogenic processing, forging, frictionless forging, impact forging, rolling with thermal treatments, rapid solidification casting, mechanical mixing during casting (nucleation disturbed --> fine grains), and electrochemical deposition. ECAE (Equal Channel Angular Extrusion) is disclosed by N. Ν. Segal, Proceedings 5th International Aluminum Extrusion Technology Seminar (1992), Vol. 2, p. 403, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Casting, heat treatment, rolling, forging, extrusion and electroplating are disclosed by Aluminum, Vol. 3, Fabrication and Finishing, edited by Kent R. Nan Horn, American Soc. for Metals (1967).

Preferably the target material has an average grain size of less than about 50 μm, more preferably less than about 20 μm, more preferably less than about 15 μm, still more preferably less than about 10 μm, more preferably less than about 5 μm, and still more preferably less than about 1 μm. A typical range is from about 0J to about 0.5 μm.

LOW DEFECT: Low defect material typically can be made by electrochemical deposition, low defect casting technology, homogeneous chemistry - solutionizing and homogenization.

Solutionizing and homogenization are disclosed by Metals Handbook, 9th edition, Vol. 4, Heat Treating (American Society for Metals), incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Typical defects which are minimized include cracks, voids, inclusions, and trapped gases.

A typical measurement of defects is the Figure of Merit (FOM).

The optimized method automatically generates a histogram report for all analyses, using a circular area that excludes spurious UT effects near the target edge. The histogram report includes a "figure of merit" (FOM) that provides a single-number of target "goodness". This number is intended to be used for statistical process and quality controls. To calculate the FOM, the areas of all objects in a target image that exceed a 50% threshold are determined. Next, the value for each area is squared, and then the sum of all squared values is taken. Finally, the sum of squares is multiplied by 10⁸ and divided by the volume of material analyzed. For example, if the area of an object doubles, then its contribution to the FOM quadruples. As a result, the FOM places much greater emphasis on large objects, which is consistent with the expectation that anomalous sputtering events are caused primarily by the largest objects.

Typically, the target material has an FOM of less than about 2000, more preferably less than about 500, still more preferably less than about 200, still more preferably less than about 150, and still more preferably less than about 100. A typical preferred range is from about 1 to about 50.

The parameters of average grain size and FOM cannot individually be used as a indication of expected good arcing performance. The parameters are to be used in combination as shown by the examples herein. The invention includes operation with the broader of the above-listed average grain size ranges with the broader of the above-listed FOM ranges. The invention includes employing the broader of the above-listed average grain size ranges with the narrower preferred FOM ranges or employing the broader of the above-listed FOM ranges with the narrower preferred average grain size ranges. ι If desired, the targets may be strong crystallographically textured, highly uniform (across its area and through target thickness) polycrystalline target materials and/or single crystal sputtering targets (which may be one piece or mosaic structures comprised of several pieces of single crystal of one or a mixture of crystallographic orientations). Single crystal targets, or single crystal mosaic targets, may have desirable low arcing characteristics. Generally, providing a finely machined surface finish free of surface contaminants and mechanically induced surface damage (or complete removal by non-mechanical techniques, for example chemical or electrochemical etching or polishing) will improve the arcing characteristics of a target. The benefits of such a surface will include reducing initial arcing during sputtering, thereby reducing burn in time by reducing the component of wafer particulates induced by arcing. For example, polycrystalline commercial targets have a high quality commercial no. 16 - 32 machined finish prior to sputtering. Single crystals typically have a diamond turned mirror finish or che o, or chemomechanical surface preparation.

Arc Detection Arc detection may be accomplished by a variety of techniques. For example, arc detection may be accomplished by techniques which rely on monitoring of the cathode connection current-voltage characteristics looking for transient events in the amplitudes of the cathode supply current and voltage waveforms which momentarily or otherwise interrupt the normal supply of electrical energy to the cathode produced by arcing. For example high current- low voltage excursions over small time scales, generally on the scale of micro- to milli- seconds produced by arcing events. Characteristic arc waveforms are defined, recognized and counted through electronic filtering and sampling.

Typical Magnetrons Employing the Target of the Present Invention

State of the art magnetron designs utilize magnet assemblies that move the racetrack plasma over the target surface with the substrate often static. A popular example of the latter is , the scanning spiral type.

The following describes basic elements of a practical sputter cathode utilized in the present mvention. This description is neither definitive nor intended to limit the scope of the present invention with respect to the cathode design. Generally a suitable cathode may comprise a target assembly and a rectangular magnetron (magnet assembly). The magnetron is connected to a drive assembly and capable of computer controlled motion. The magnetron's spatial disposition, distance from and orientation, with respect to the electrically insulating back plate of the heat exchanger assembly is variable.

In a typical cathode, the target assembly comprises a sputter target and a backing plate. Generally, the sputter target is mechanically and/or thermally coupled to the backing plate or the assembly is monolithic. The sputtering face of the sputter target is exposed to the environment of a process.

Figs. 7A and 7B show views of a typical magnetron sputtering device that benefits from targets of the present invention. The magnetron of these figures is described by United States patent no.4,995,958 to Anderson et al, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Fig 7A shows a layout of a magnet design. This magnet may be used for a magnet array of a magnetron. Permanent magnets Ml through M14, as shown in Fig. 7B are sandwiched between iron keepers 31, 33 which retain the magnets in position and act to distribute the magnetic field uniformly along the magnet and to accurately define the contour of the magnet. The keepers may be spot welded to a magnet support. Alternatively, the magnetic means may be a unitary magnet having the contour defined by keepers 31 and 33.

The curve A, B shown in Fig. 7B passes through the center of each magnet and the centerline of each magnet is perpendicular to the curve A, B. It is convenient for the thickness of the keeper to be sufficiently small so that it is flexible enough to be bent to the required contour. In a typical configuration, permanent magnets are placed between the keepers. A typical magnet is samarium cobalt with an energy product of 18 MGO having dimensions 3/4" by 3/4" by 0.32". Typically two magnets are used to form each unit. Various spacings between the magnets may be employed as known in the art.

Typically, the process chamber contains gas comprising a member selected from the group consisting of Ar, Kr, Ne, Xe, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, methane, acetylene, hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and mixtures thereof. Advantages

The present inventors have discovered that smaller grain size coupled with reduced defect content, e.g., trapped gases, microcracks, inclusions and voids are correlated with reduced arcing and film defects. Also, new materials processing techniques yield improved purity and microstructure control. Moreover, STaR Center Endura testing will correlate yield improvements to target microstructure and arcing.

The invention will now be described by the examples intended to illustrate, but not limit, the scope of the invention.

EXAMPLES

In the Examples, the targets were sputtered in argon in a DCmagnetron-sputtering machine equipped with rectangular planar magnetron cathodes as well as an arcing monitoring and counting system. Ultra high purity argon gas (99.999% Ar) was introduced into the chamber during sputtering. The sputtering parameters were monitored and regulated to achieve desired sputtering conditions for specific targets. The copper targets was "6 nines" purity. The aluminum-0.5 copper - 0.2 silicon targets were "5 nines" purity. There was no substrate. Arcing at the target was measured.

Arcing count was recorded by using a computerized arcing monitor system that detects arcing events by sensing instant variation in cathode voltage and current. The arcing counting parameters that define an arcing event were set to be the same, so that sputter performance of different targets can be compared. With given sputtering conditions, target defects play dominant role in arcing events that can cause wafer defects upon deposition.

Comparative Example 1

Comparative Example 1 measures accumulated arc count vs. target life for standard 6N Cu target (a target with 6 nines purity) with 30μm grain size. The target for this example was made by a standard, conventional, thermomechanical process.

Sputtering conditions are given as follows: Sputter power: 10 W/cm² Ar gas pressure: ~lxl0^"3 mbar

The results of this example are shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 1 shows a baseline arcing for a standard target grain size.

Example 1

Example 1 measures accumulated arc count vs. target life for a 6N Cu target (a target with 6 nines purity) with 9.5μm grain size. The target for this example was made by an ECAE process. Sputtering conditions are given as follows: Sputter power: 10 W/cm² Ar gas pressure: ~lxl0^"3 mbar

The results of this example are shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 shows very low arc count with reduced grain size.

Example 2 Example 2 measures accumulated arc count vs. sputter time for A10.5Cu0.2Si target with low defect content and a 50μm grain size and an FOM of 2. The target has 5 nines purity. The target for this example was made by a standard, conventional, thermomechanical process. Sputtering conditions are given as follows: Sputter power: 15 W/cm² Ar gas pressure: ~2 mTorr

The results of this example are shown as the upper curve in Fig. 3.

Example 3

Example 3 measures accumulated arc count vs. sputter time for A10.5Cu0.2Si target with low defect content and a 0.5 μm grain size. The target has 5 nines purity. The target for this example was made by an ECAE process and had a FOM of 13.

Sputtering conditions are given as follows:

Sputter power: 15 W/cm²

Ar gas pressure: ~2 mTorr The results of this example are shown as the lower curve in Fig. 3. The targets of both Examples and 3 (upper and lower curves of Fig. 3, respectively) have low FOM values (low defect concentrations). Comparison of the upper and lower curves of Fig. 3 shows that employing smaller grain size further redu arcing for samples having a low FOM.

Example 4

Example 4 measures accumulated arc count vs. sputter time for A10.5CuO.2Si target with 0.5um grain size. The target has 5 nines purity. The target for this example was made by an ECAE process and had a FOM of 1726. Sputtering conditions are given as follows:

Sputter power: 15 W/cm² Ar gas pressure: ~2 mTorr The results of this example are shown as the upper curve in Fig. 4.

Example 5

Example 5 measures accumulated arc count vs. sputter time for A10.5CuO.2Si target with 0.5um grain size. The target has 5 nines purity. The target for this example was made by an ECAE process and had a FOM of 13 (a defect concentration lower than that of Example 4). Sputter power: 15 W/cm² Ar gas pressure: ~2 mTorr

The results of this example are shown as the lower curve in Fig. 4. Comparison of the upper and lower curves of Fig. 4 shows the best results are achieved when both small grain size and low defect conl are employed. The targets of both Examples 4 and 5 (upper and lower curves of Fig. 4, respectively) have low average grain size. Comparison of the upper and lower curves of Fig. 4 shows that employing lower FOl further reduces arcing for samples having a low average grain size.

While there have been shown and described what are at present considered the preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

WE CLAIM

1. A process for sputter deposition comprising: sputtering material from an emitting surface of a target onto a film growth surface of a substrate by a sputtering device which contains a plasma to erode the sputter target at least over the target regions actively contributing to deposition at the substrate, wherein the substrate is spaced apart from the sputter target and at least some emitted particles from the emitting target surface transport across space between the target and the substrate, the emitting surface having a sufficiently fine average grain size and sufficiently low defect concentration to produce, by a sputtering process, a processed wafer having less than 0.06 particles per cm² of the wafer processed surface, wherein the particles have a diameter of at most 0.2 μm.

2. A process for sputter deposition comprising: sputtering material from an emitting surface of a target onto a film growth surface of a substrate by a sputtering device which contains a plasma to erode the sputter target at least over the target regions actively contributing to deposition at the substrate, wherein the substrate is spaced apart from the sputter target and at least some emitted particles from the emitting target surface transport across space between the target and the substrate, wherein the emitting surface of the target has an average grain size less than about 50μm and a defect concentration less than an FOM of about 2000.

3. The process according to Claim 2, wherein the emitting surface of the target has an average grain size less than about 20μm.

4. The process according to Claim 2, wherein the emitting surface of the target has an average grain size less than about lOμm.

5. The process according to Claim 2, wherein the emitting surface of the target has an average grain size less than about 5μm.

6. The process according to Claim 2, wherein the emitting surface of the target has an average grain size less than about lμm.

7. The process according to Claim 2, wherein the emitting surface of the target has an average grain size less than about 0.5μm.

8. The process according to Claim 2, wherein the emitting surface of the target has an average grain size in the range from about 0J to about 0.5μm.

9. The process according to Claim 2, wherein the FOM of the emitting surface of the target is less than about 1000.

10. The process according to Claim 2, wherein the FOM of the emitting surface of the target is less than about 500.

11. The process according to Claim 2, wherein the FOM of the emitting surface of the target is less than about 50.

12. The process according to Claim 2, wherein the target is a single crystal material.

13. The process according to Claim 2, wherein the target is a mosaic structure comprising pieces of single crystal material.

14. The process according to Claim 2, wherein the target is a polycrystalline material.

15. The process according to Claim 2, wherein the target is a crystallographically textured polycrystalline material.

16. The process according to Claim 2, wherein the target is a 6N copper target having about a 9.5 μm average grain size.

17. The process according to Claim 2, wherein a majority of the elemental composition of the target is copper or aluminum.

18. The process of Claim 2, wherein the process gas comprises a member selected from the group consisting of Ar, Kr, Ne, Xe, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, methane, acetylene, hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and mixtures thereof.

19. A sputtering device comprising: a sputter target assembly capable of being electrically energized, the target assembly comprising the sputter target and optionally coupled to an optional backing plate, the target having an emitting surface for emitting sputtered particles, a substrate spaced apart from the sputter target, a power supply coupled to the target to generate a plasma to sputter particles from the emitting surface onto a film growth surface of the substrate by eroding the sputter target at least over target regions actively contributing to deposition at the substrate, the emitting surface having a sufficiently fine average grain size and sufficiently low defect concentration to produce, by a sputtering process, a processed wafer having less than 0.06 particles per cm² of the wafer processed surface, wherein the particles have a diameter of at most 0.2 μm.

20. The sputtering device of Claim 19 comprising: a magnetron connected to a drive assembly and capable of computer controlled motion, the sputter target assembly capable of being electrically energized, the target assembly comprising the sputter target and an optional backing plate coupled to the sputter target, the magnetron is electrically isolated from the sputter target assembly.

21. A sputtering device comprising: a sputter target assembly capable of being electrically energized, the target assembly comprising a sputter target and optionally coupled to an optional backing plate, the target having an emitting surface for emitting sputtered particles, a substrate spaced apart from the sputter target, a plasma generator coupled to the target to generate a plasma to sputter particles from the emitting surface of the target onto a film growth surface of the substrate by eroding the sputter target at least over the target regions actively contributing to deposition at the substrate, wherein the emitting surface of the sputter target has an average grain size less than about 50 μm and a defect concentration less than an FOM of about 2000.

22. The sputtering device of Claim 21, wherein the plasma generator comprises a magnetron connected to a drive assembly and capable of computer controlled motion, the sputter target assembly is capable of being electrically energized, the target assembly comprising the sputter target and an optional backing plate coupled to the sputter target, and the magnetron is electrically isolated from the sputter target assembly.

23. The device according to Claim 21, wherein the emitting surface of the target has an average grain size less than about 20μm.

24. The device according to Claim 21, wherein the emitting surface of the target has an average grain size less than about lOμm.

25. The device according to Claim 21, wherein the emitting surface of the target has an average grain size less than about 5μm.

26. The device according to Claim 21, wherein the emitting surface of the target has an average grain size less than about 1 μm.

27. The device according to Claim 21 , wherein the emitting surface of the target has an average grain size less than about 0.5μm.

28. The device according to Claim 21 , wherein the emitting surface of the target has an average grain size in the range from about 0J to about 0.5 μm.

29. The device according to Claim 21, wherein the FOM of the emitting surface of the target is less than about 1000.

30. The device according to Claim 21, wherein the FOM of the emitting surface of the emitting surface of the target is less than about 500.

31. The device according to Claim 21 , wherein the FOM of the emitting surface of the target is less than about 50.

32. An article for sputtering capable of being electrically energized, comprising a sputter emitting surface for emitting sputtered particles, the surface having a sufficiently fine average grain size and sufficiently low defect concentration to produce, by a sputtering process, a processed wafer having less than 0.06 particles per cm² of the wafer processed surface, wherein the particles have a diameter of at most 0.2 μm .

33. An article for sputtering comprising a sputtering material having a surface for emitting sputtered particles, the surface having an average grain size less than about 50μm and a defect concentration less than an FOM of about 2000.

34. The article according to Claim 33, wherein the emitting surface has an average grain size less than about 20μm.

35. The article according to Claim 33, wherein the emitting surface has an average grain size less than about lOμm.

36. The article according to Claim 33, wherein the emitting surface has an average grain size less than about 5μm.

37. The article according to Claim 33, wherein the emitting surface has an average grain size less than about lμm.

38. The article according to Claim 33, wherein the emitting surface has an average grain size in the range from about 0J to about 0.5μm.

39. The article according to Claim 33, wherein the FOM of the emitting surface is less than about 1000.

40. The article according to Claim 33, wherein the FOM of the emitting surface is less than about 500.

41. The article according to Claim 33, wherein the FOM of the emitting surface is less than about 50.

42. The article according to Claim 33, further comprising a backing plate fixed to a back surface of the sputtering material.

43. The article according to Claim 33, wherein the article is a sputtering target assembly, comprising: a sputter target having the emitting surface, and an optional backing plate optionally coupled to the target.