Sputtering target material is a sputtering source which forms various functional films on the substrate by magnetron sputtering, multi-arc ion plating or other coating equipment under appropriate technological conditions. Sputtering target materials are widely used in many fields, such as decoration, tooling, glass, electronic devices, semiconductor, magnetic recording, flat display, solar cells and so on. Sputtering targets can be divided into pure metal targets, alloy targets, oxide targets and silicide targets according to their composition; powder targets, smelting targets and spraying targets can be divided according to their production methods; planar targets and tubular targets can be divided according to their shapes; planar targets can be divided into rectangular targets and circular arc targets. Fig. 1 Several sputtering targets with different shapes are shown.
　　I. extensive application prospects and huge market potential
　　In recent years, with the increasingly prominent limitations of traditional surface modification technologies such as electroplating and electroless plating, the vacuum coating technology with physical vapor deposition (PVD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) as the main process methods has made rapid progress. The demand of sputtering target materials for PVD preparation process is increasing. . According to statistics, the market demand of target materials in the world is increasing at the rate of 20% every year. As a big manufacturing country in the world, the market demand of target materials is increasing at the rate of more than 30% every year. If noble metal targets are excluded, it is conservatively estimated that the total value of target materials needed in various fields is about 10 billion yuan per year.
　　1. decorative coating
　　Decorative coating mainly refers to the surface coating of mobile phones, watches, glasses, sanitary ware, hardware parts and other products, which not only plays a role in beautifying color, but also has wear resistance, corrosion resistance and other functions. With the continuous improvement of people's living standards, more and more daily necessities are required to be coated with decorative coatings, so the demand for target materials for decorative coatings is increasing. The main target materials for decorative coating are chromium (Cr) target, titanium (Ti) target, zirconium (Zr), nickel (Ni), tungsten (W), titanium aluminum (TiAl), stainless steel target, etc.
　　2. coating for dies and moulds
　　Die coating is mainly used to strengthen the surface of tools and molds, which can significantly improve the service life of tools and molds and the quality of parts processed. In recent years, driven by the development of aerospace and automotive industry, the global manufacturing technology and production efficiency have made great progress, and the demand for high-performance tools and molds is increasing. At present, the global market for mold and die coating is mainly in Europe, America and Japan. According to statistics, the proportion of coated tools for machining in developed countries has exceeded 90%. The proportion of tool coating is also increasing in China, and the demand for tool coating is increasing. The main types of targets for coating die and mould are TiAl targets, chrome aluminum (CrAl) targets, Cr targets, Ti targets, etc.
　　3. glass coating
　　The application of target materials in glass is mainly to make low-radiation coated glass, that is, using magnetron sputtering principle to sputter multi-layer film on glass, in order to achieve energy saving, light control, decoration. Low radiation coated glass, also known as energy-saving glass, in recent years, with the increase of energy-saving emission reduction and improvement of people's quality of life, the traditional building glass is gradually replaced by energy-saving glass. It is precisely under the impetus of this market demand, at present almost all large glass deep processing enterprises are rapidly increasing the production line of coated glass. Correspondingly, the demand for target materials for coating is increasing rapidly. The main target materials are: Ag target, Cr target, Ti target, NiCr target, ZnSn target, SiAl target, TiO 2 target, etc.
　　Another important application of target materials in glass is to prepare automotive rearview mirror, mainly chromium target, aluminum target, titanium oxide target and so on. With the continuous improvement of automotive rearview mirror grade requirements, many enterprises have changed from the original aluminum plating process to vacuum sputtering chromium plating process.
　　4. coating of electronic devices
　　The coating of electronic devices is mainly used for thin film resistors and thin film capacitors. Thin film resistors can provide 10?~1000M_resistors, and the resistance temperature coefficient is small, stability is good, can effectively reduce the size of the device. Targets for film resistance include NiCr target, NiCrSi target, CrSi target, Ta target, NiCrAl target, etc.
　　5. magnetic recording coating
　　Twenty-first Century is the hi-tech era of economic information and digitalization of information. Information super high density storage and high-speed transmission requirements, and promote the further development of information technology. Advanced electronic computers and automated equipment for acquiring, processing, storing and transmitting various kinds of information need storage devices, including magnetic information storage, magneto-optical information storage and all-optical information storage. Magnetic memory, such as magnetic disk, magnetic head, magnetic drum, magnetic tape and so on, uses the ferromagnetic properties of magnetic materials to realize information storage. The target materials for sputtering thin film recording include Cr base, cobalt (Co), cobalt iron (CoFe) and Ni base alloys.
　　6. flat display coating
　　The rapid growth of demand for flat panel display devices, such as portable personal computers, television, mobile phones, has greatly promoted the development of various types of flat panel display devices. Flat panel displays include: liquid crystal display devices (LCD), plasma display devices (PDP), thin film transistor liquid crystal flat panel display (TFT-LCD) and so on. All of these flat panel display devices use a variety of thin films, and without thin film technology there would be no flat panel display devices. Flat panel displays are made up of metal electrodes, transparent conductive electrodes, insulating layers and light-emitting layers.
　　7. semiconductor coating
　　With the rapid development of information technology, the integrated circuit is required to be more and more integrated, the size of the unit devices in the circuit is shrinking, the size of the components is from millimeter to micron, and then to nanometer. Each unit device consists of substrate, insulating layer, dielectric layer, conductor layer and protective layer, among which the dielectric layer, conductor layer and even protective layer are all used in sputtering coating process, so sputtering target is one of the core materials for IC fabrication. The main types of target materials for semiconductor coating are W, WTi, Ti, Ta, Al, Cu and so on. The target materials are required to be of high purity, generally over 4N or 5N. Therefore, the target materials for semiconductor coating are expensive.
　　8. solar cell coating
　　With the decrease of traditional fossil fuel energy, the world has focused on renewable energy. Solar energy, with its unique advantages, has become the focus of attention, mainly converting solar energy into heat and electricity. Among them, photoelectric conversion is completed by solar cells which directly convert light into electricity through photoelectric effect. At present, solar cells have developed to the third generation. The first generation is monocrystalline silicon solar cells, the second generation is amorphous silicon and polysilicon solar cells, the third generation is thin film solar cells (represented by copper indium gallium selenium [CIGS]), and sputtering coating process is the preferred method of preparation. The rise of the global low-carbon economy has provided a broad prospect for the development of new energy and new materials. The major target material suppliers all over the world regard the target materials for solar cell coating as an important research and development product. The solar cell coating is growing explosively. Based on the installed capacity of solar cells in 2005, the annual incremental rates are estimated to be 23%, 40% and 67%, respectively. The installed capacity of solar cells in 2016 is shown in Figure 2. The main target materials for solar cell coating are: zinc aluminum oxide (AZO) target, zinc oxide (ZnO) target, zinc aluminum (ZnAl) target, molybdenum (Mo) target, cadmium sulfide (CdS) target, copper, indium, gallium and selenium (CuInGaSe).
　　Hunan Zhongjinglun Metal Material Co., Ltd., Hunan Alloy Target Material Sales, High Purity Metal Target Material Production, Nonferrous Metal Alloy
　　Two. Development of sputtering targets abroad
　　Sputtering coating technology originated from abroad, and the sputtering material, target material, also originated and developed abroad. Targets are developed and manufactured by foreign target companies because of their strong applicability. Table 1 lists the major manufacturers of sputtering targets worldwide. Foreign well-known companies have strong technical force, excellent product quality and strict production quality control. These enterprises have done extremely complete vertical integration of technology, from coating target manufacturing to thin film component manufacturing are the direction of vertical integration of technology. They not only produce coated target materials, but also actively expand target materials in a variety of different coating prescriptions. Application market. So far, the well-known target companies abroad have accumulated several decades in target R & D and production. Japan, the United States and Germany are the world's leading countries in the manufacture of coated targets. According to statistics, from 1990 to 1998, the number of target patents filed in the United States in the world, Japan accounted for 58%, the United States 27%, Germany 11%. Foreign well-known target materials companies lead the international target technology direction, but also occupy the majority of the world target market.
　　The sputtering target preparation process mainly includes smelting casting method and powder sintering method. Fig. 3 shows the sputtering target production process. The commonly used melting methods include vacuum induction melting, vacuum arc melting and vacuum electron bombardment. Compared with the alloy prepared by powder method, the impurity content (especially the gas impurity content) of the target material of smelting alloy is lower, and it can be high density and large-scale. However, for two or more metals with great difference in melting point and density, it is difficult to obtain homogeneous alloy target by ordinary smelting method. Powder metallurgy process has the advantages of easy to obtain uniform fine grain structure, saving raw materials and high production efficiency. When preparing target materials by powder metallurgy, the key lies in choosing high-purity and ultra-fine powder as raw materials; choosing forming and sintering technology which can realize rapid densification to ensure low porosity of target materials and control grain size. The preparation process strictly controls the introduction of impurity elements. Commonly used powder metallurgy processes include hot pressing, vacuum hot pressing and hot isostatic pressing (HIP). The development of new alloy targets often requires the development of some special processes, such as semi molten sintering, reduction diffusion and spray forming. Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of spray forming device for Japanese special steel.
　　Hunan Zhongjinglun Metal Material Co., Ltd., Hunan Alloy Target Material Sales, High Purity Metal Target Material Production, Nonferrous Metal Alloy
　　Three. Current situation and problems of sputtering targets in China
　　1. status quo
　　Sputtering target is a relatively new industry in our country. Since the rise of this industry, our country has made great progress in sputtering target technology and market. From a technical point of view, the study of coating in China started in the 1960s. In order to develop film science and technology, the relevant departments of the State Planning Commission, the State Science and Technology Commission, the State Natural Science Foundation Commission and the local government have strategically and continuously supported the development of coating and the materials used, accumulated corresponding science and technology, and China has successfully developed different technologies. Target materials applied in the field have created a good research and development basis and industrial conditions for target materials, and formed some industries. For example, in the decoration industry with Cr, Ti, Zr, TiAl and other targets, tools coated with TiAl target, Cr target, Ti target, glass coated with Cr target, Ti target, NiCr target. From a market perspective, From the market point of view, in recent years, with the rapid development of the coating field, large-scale joint ventures or wholly-owned target materials enterprises have sprung up in China. Table 2 lists the main sputtering target manufacturers in China. China has gradually become one of the most demanded and used target materials in the world, especially in high-end fields such as tooling, glass, magnetic recording, flat panel display, semiconductor and solar energy, such as molds, high-performance tools, low-radiation coated glass, magnetic recording and storage, flat panel display, semiconductor integrated circuit, solar energy and so on. Thin film battery and so on.
　　2. existing problems
　　Compared with international target materials companies, China's target materials enterprises started relatively late; compared with the advanced level of international target materials, China's target technology and industrial level is still lagging behind. Although there are many small target companies in China, there is not a specialized target company with a certain scale in the global high-end target market. At present, high-end application markets such as tooling, glass, magnetic recording, plane display, semiconductor, solar energy, etc. are mainly monopolized by target companies in Europe, America or Japan. Target materials are characterized by multi-variety, small batch, long production cycle, product development trend is toward higher purity, higher density, larger size direction. Therefore, target manufacturers should have a considerable capacity for material innovation and development to develop a variety of target products. Most of the target companies in China have a very short development time, and their innovative ability is difficult to meet the rapid development and changing needs of target materials. Technical problems, talent problems and international competition problems have restricted the development of the industry, affecting the expansion of the layout.
　　Firstly, in terms of technology, sputtering target enterprises in China are facing great challenges in product variety, preparation process and application. With the rapid development of market, more and more varieties of products are required, and the replacement of products is faster and faster. The traditional process is also put forward higher requirements. It is necessary to introduce new technology to prepare target materials, and ultimately solve the problems of size, flatness, purity, impurity content, density, nitrogen/oxygen/carbon/sulfur (N/O/C/S), grain size and defect control, and surface. Roughness, resistance, foreign matter (oxide) content and size, permeability and so on. In application, the utilization ratio of target materials needs to be improved; in addition, the problem of particle splashing in sputtering process needs to be solved. As shown in the production diagram of sputtering target shown in Fig. 5, when the sputtering target is bombarded during sputtering, large-scale target particles or particles may be spattered due to the sudden release of gas in the internal pores of the target, and the film may also be spattered by secondary electron bombardment. The appearance of these splashing particles will reduce the quality of the film, so the problem of particle splashing needs to be solved.
　　Secondly, the development time of sputtering target industry in China is short and the accumulation of talents is insufficient. Facing the strong international competition, the sputtering target industry especially shows the lack of professional talents. Target material research and development is mainly carried out in the enterprise, the target material companies in order to gain an advantage in the competition, the technology is highly confidential, so the industry is highly specialized, talent selection is limited to a few target material companies. The basic research and application of sputtering target materials in universities and scientific research institutes are less, the time is shorter, and the intensity of research is not as deep as the target companies. Therefore, the number and level of talents trained are slightly inadequate.
　　Thirdly, the market competition of China's sputtering target industry is becoming increasingly fierce. The high cost of foreign enterprises provides a good opportunity for Chinese-made target materials to enter the international market. However, with the transfer of global manufacturing centers to China, foreign target suppliers, considering the impact of higher prices and longer lead times, hope to supply target materials locally and set up processing plants in China one after another. On the one hand, it keeps and improves its advantage in the international competition, on the other hand, it occupies the Chinese market, which makes the domestic target industry face more intense competition.Basic research results require a long period of time, and can not directly bring economic benefits, it is difficult to meet the requirements of enterprises to achieve quick results, profit-seeking goals. However, if there is no basic research, the development of applied research will encounter a certain bottleneck, thus limiting the development of applied research. This requires the support of the state and local governments to help enterprises set up key laboratories for target materials, build specialized R&D platforms, concentrate superior resources, ensure the exclusive use of R&D resources, open cooperation between industry, University and research, actively promote the industrialization of scientific and technological achievements, and achieve a double harvest in basic research and applied research.
　　2. talents
　　The key to enterprise competition is talents. In order to attract more talents, we need to improve flexibility and coexist in many ways. In order to stimulate the enthusiasm of researchers, enterprises can strengthen the incentive mechanism within the system, set up special funds to reward researchers who have made outstanding contributions.
　　3. policy aspects
　　At present, the most important market of sputtering target materials is abroad. In order to compete with foreign target materials suppliers, the sputtering target enterprises in China need the support of national import and export policies. Since the financial crisis, the international monetary war has become increasingly fierce, although the RMB has a small appreciation, but the pressure of appreciation is still great, and the dollar, the euro and other currencies have varying degrees of depreciation, which makes the domestic target price advantage in the reduction. In terms of import and export policies, if the state gives appropriate tax rebates to target products and encourages target products to export, it will increase the competitive advantage of target products and promote the development of target industry.
　　Hunan Zhongjinglun Metal Material Co., Ltd., Hunan Alloy Target Material Sales, High Purity Metal Target Material Production, Nonferrous Metal Alloy
　　Five. Prospect of sputtering target industry
　　Sputtering target materials have shown a rapid growth momentum in the international and domestic markets, and the era of large-scale application and industrialization has come. The development trend of target material industry is first of all market differentiation, and the products with lower technology content will gradually face more intense competition. Many small target companies have flexible mechanisms and low production costs, which will make the low-end target market form a price war-oriented model; and target market in high-end industries such as magnetic records, semiconductor, solar energy, will continue to show the trend of technology-led, advanced target suppliers at home and abroad will compete. The competition has absolute advantage, and the coating manufacturers will be more dependent on target suppliers.
　　Sputtering targets will show uneven development in different applications. In decorative coating industry, the product transformation of coating manufacturers, sputtering target productivity is relatively saturated, growth space is limited. Tool coating industry, foreign target companies will grow steadily, but not too fast; and domestic target companies as a result of high-end coating market tool coating target materials in the development stage, with the success of product development, domestic target price advantage will win a certain market for domestic target manufacturers. Magnetic storage industry, the scale will continue to expand, magnetic recording targets will flourish, the international and domestic market will have a greater growth. Semiconductor industry needs a wide range of target materials, each of which is very large, foreign technology mature, strong research and development force, will be in a leading position for a long time. Solar energy industry has great potential for development. In the next 5 to 10 years, a new green energy industry revolution will be launched. It can be predicted that solar photovoltaic power generation will occupy an important position in the world energy consumption in the near future, not only to replace some of the conventional energy, but also will become the main body of the world energy supply. With the further explosive growth of the solar industry, sputtering targets for solar cells will usher in a new round of large-scale growth.
　　The development of sputtering target will lead to the success or failure of technology and service. Target companies with strong technical force, a wide range of R&D products and several unique products will gain a voice in the market competition. With the expansion of the scale, the demand for capital in the sales process has been raised, the amount of capital occupied has been increased, and the turnover time has been lengthened. The expansion and development of the coating industry will make the competition in this industry more and more intense, and the product service requirements of target material suppliers will be higher. Target suppliers with good pre-sale and after-sales service will be favored by coating manufacturers.
　　Improving the utilization ratio of sputtering target is also the trend of target development. Conventional rectangular and cylindrical magnetron sputtering targets are solid. The circular permanent magnet is used to build a ring magnetic field on the surface of the target, and an etching zone is formed on the annular surface with equal distance between the shafts. As a result, the uniformity of the film thickness is affected. The utilization ratio of the target is only 20%-30%. The rotating cylindrical magnetron sputtering target is a hollow cylindrical tube, which can rotate around a fixed strip magnet assembly and can be 360.
　　The target surface is evenly etched and the target utilization rate is as high as 80%. With the rise of low carbon economy, energy conservation and environmental protection is a strategic element to consider in the development of enterprises. Target materials for energy-saving and environmental protection industry, the industry itself also needs an energy-saving and environmental protection production environment, on the one hand, this is to meet the needs of the development of the industry, on the other hand, it is also to establish an image of the enterprise, win customer confidence. The existing small target material factories in China must be revamped with equipment and operating environment, otherwise they will not only be difficult to develop in scale, but also face the risk of closing down.
　　In general, the target industry has a bright future. The rapid expansion of coating industry and the rapid expansion of market demand will undoubtedly lead to the rapid development of target market. In addition, the target belongs to the field of new materials, has been highly valued and strongly supported by the state. With the increasing demand of coating market and the increasing support of the state, a number of target material enterprises will rapidly grow up and become the leaders of target material industry, drive the development of the industry, and create considerable economic and social benefits.