Apparatus for plasma assisted evaporation of thin films and corresponding method of deposition
First Claim
1. An improved method of depositing a thin film onto a substrate, said method including the steps of:
- vacuumizing a chamber;
providing an electrically unbiased substrate in the chamber;
providing a supply of solid vaporizable material in the chamber;
heating the solid material with electron beam means so as to vaporize said material in a vapor zone formed between the substrate and the supply of solid material;
disposing electrode means in the vapor zone, said electrode means operatively disposed in electrical communication with a source of alternating current;
providing an ionizable gas; and
,activating the source of alternating current so as to energize the electrode means and develop an ionized plasma from at least the ionized gas, said ionized plasma developed in a plasma region formed proximate the electrode means;
whereby the vaporized solid material is activated by the plasma and deposited as a thin film onto the substrate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved method of and apparatus for depositing thin films, such as indium tin oxide, onto substrates, which deposition comprises one step in the fabrication of electronic, semiconductor and photovoltaic devices. The method includes the novel steps of combining the use of (1) an electron beam to vaporize a source of solid material, and (2) electromagnetic energy to provide an ionizable plasma from reactant gases. By passing the vaporized solid material through the plasma, it is activated prior to the deposition thereof onto the substrate. In this manner, the solid material and the reactant gases are excited to facilitate their interaction prior to the deposition of the newly formed compound onto the substrate.
93 Citations
29 Claims
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1. An improved method of depositing a thin film onto a substrate, said method including the steps of:
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vacuumizing a chamber; providing an electrically unbiased substrate in the chamber; providing a supply of solid vaporizable material in the chamber; heating the solid material with electron beam means so as to vaporize said material in a vapor zone formed between the substrate and the supply of solid material; disposing electrode means in the vapor zone, said electrode means operatively disposed in electrical communication with a source of alternating current; providing an ionizable gas; and
,activating the source of alternating current so as to energize the electrode means and develop an ionized plasma from at least the ionized gas, said ionized plasma developed in a plasma region formed proximate the electrode means;
whereby the vaporized solid material is activated by the plasma and deposited as a thin film onto the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. Apparatus for depositing a thin film onto a substrate, said apparatus including:
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a vacuum chamber; means for vacuumizing the chamber; means for supporting an electrically unbiased substrate; a source of solid vaporizable material operatively disposed in the vacuum chamber; electron beam means adapted to vaporize the solid material in a vapor zone formed between the substrate and the supply of solid material; a source of ionizable gas; electrode means operatively disposed proximate the source of solid material in the vapor zone;
said electrode means adapted to develop an ionized plasma from at least the ionizable gas, said plasma developed in a plasma region formed proximate the electrode means; anda source of alternating current operatively disposed in electrical communication with the electrode means, whereby activating the source develops the plasma and the plasma activates the vaporized solid material for the deposition thereof as a thin film onto the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification