US 7,320,736 B2
High-purity aluminum sputter targets and method of manufacture
Andrew C. Perry, Oradell, N.J. (US); Paul S. Gilman, Suffern, N.Y. (US); and Thomas J. Hunt, Peekskill, N.Y. (US)
Assigned to Praxair Technology, Inc., Danbury, Conn. (US)
Filed on Oct. 19, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/967,133.
Application 10/967133 is a division of application No. 10/219756, filed on Aug. 16, 2002, granted, now 6,835,251, filed on Dec. 28, 2004.
Application 10/219756 is a continuation in part of application No. 10/054345, filed on Nov. 13, 2001, abandoned.
Prior Publication US 2005/0230011 A1, Oct. 20, 2005
Int. Cl. C22F 1/04 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 148—697  [148/690; 148/693] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of forming high-purity aluminum sputter targets comprising the steps of:
a) cooling a high-purity target blank to a temperature of less than about −50° C., the high-purity target blank having a purity of at least 99.999 percent and grains having a grain size;
b) deforming the cooled high-purity target blank to introduce strain into the high-purity target blank and to reduce the grain size of the grains;
c) recrystallizing the grains at a temperature below about 200° C. to form a target blank having recrystallized grains, the target blank having at least about 99 percent recrystallized grains and the recrystallized grains having a fine grain size; and
d) finishing the high-purity target blank to form a finished sputter target at a low temperature sufficient to maintain the fine grain size of the finished sputter target.