US Patent 7585399 Rotating magnet arrays for magnetron sputtering apparatus

In one embodiment, a magnetron sputtering apparatus includes one or more magnet arrays for moving ions or charged particles on at least two plasma discharge paths on a target. Charged particles on one of the plasma discharge paths are moved in one direction, while charged particles on the other plasma discharge path are moved in the opposite direction to reduce rotational shifting of deposition flux on the patterned substrates. The plasma discharge paths may be formed by two symmetric magnet arrays or a single asymmetric magnet array rotated from behind the target.