Sputtered film characteristics evaluated through designed experiments

Summary form only given. The film properties from a sputtering system utilizing separately cryopumped chambers for loading, etching, heating, and deposition were evaluated using designed experiments. This system provided unique aluminum-silicon doped films in response to traditional processing setpoints used in batch or even closed-coupled, single-wafer-deposited, common vacuum systems. Due to this and process constraints, 12 film properties were characterized as a function of three key inputs utilizing the designed experimental approach. The reason for altering the standard film was to achieve a transparent metal film that would be equal in all other aspects to the current metal film. This would allow the use of either the new sputter system or the one being used now without any change in processing the film through the photoresist and etch process flows