Microwave plasma assisted supersonic gas jet deposition of thin film materials
First Claim
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1. A system for depositing a film upon a substrate, said system comprising:
- a vacuum chamber having a port allowing for access to a vacuum chamber interior;
a positioning apparatus for locating a substrate within said vacuum chamber interior;
a gas jet apparatus affixed to said vacuum chamber port for providing controlled entry of gas into the interior of the vacuum chamber, said gas jet apparatus including;
a large nozzle having an interior cavity;
a means for providing carrier gas to said large nozzle interior cavity;
a small nozzle located within said large nozzle interior cavity for providing a supersonic jet of reagent gas from a small nozzle tip configured to provide said reagent gas directly to an outer surface of said substrate;
a discharge means configured about said gas jet apparatus for generating a discharge in said carrier and reagent gas in a position of said large nozzle interior cavity substantially displaced from said small nozzle tip towards said vacuum chamber; and
a pump means for evacuating gas from said vacuum chamber.
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Abstract
An apparatus for fabricating thin film materials utilizing high speed gas dynamics relies on supersonic free jets of carrier gas to transport depositing vapor species generated in a microwave discharge to the surface of a prepared substrate where the vapor deposits to form a thin film. The present invention generates high rates of deposition and thin films of unforeseen high quality at low temperatures.
134 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A system for depositing a film upon a substrate, said system comprising:
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a vacuum chamber having a port allowing for access to a vacuum chamber interior; a positioning apparatus for locating a substrate within said vacuum chamber interior; a gas jet apparatus affixed to said vacuum chamber port for providing controlled entry of gas into the interior of the vacuum chamber, said gas jet apparatus including; a large nozzle having an interior cavity; a means for providing carrier gas to said large nozzle interior cavity; a small nozzle located within said large nozzle interior cavity for providing a supersonic jet of reagent gas from a small nozzle tip configured to provide said reagent gas directly to an outer surface of said substrate; a discharge means configured about said gas jet apparatus for generating a discharge in said carrier and reagent gas in a position of said large nozzle interior cavity substantially displaced from said small nozzle tip towards said vacuum chamber; and a pump means for evacuating gas from said vacuum chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. In a system for depositing a film upon a substrate, said system including a vacuum chamber having a port allowing for access to an interior, an apparatus for receiving a substrate positioned within said vacuum chamber interior, and a pump means for evacuating gas from said vacuum chamber, a gas jet apparatus affixed to said vacuum chamber port for providing controlled gas entry into the interior of the vacuum chamber, said apparatus comprising:
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a large nozzle having an interior cavity; a means for providing carrier gas to said large nozzle interior cavity; a small nozzle located within said large nozzle interior cavity for providing a supersonic jet of reagent gas from a small nozzle tip configured to provide said reagent gas directly to an outer surface of said substrate; and a discharge means configured about the exterior of said gas jet apparatus for generating a discharge in said carrier and reagent gas in a portion of said large nozzle interior cavity substantially displaced from said small nozzle tip towards said vacuum chamber. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A system for depositing a film upon a substrate, said system comprising:
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a vacuum chamber having a plurality of ports allowing for access to a vacuum chamber interior, a translation apparatus for receiving a substrate positioned within said vacuum chamber interior and for moving said substrate between a first position and a second position; a first gas jet apparatus affixed to a first vacuum chamber port for providing controlled gas entry into the interior of the vacuum chamber, said first gas jet apparatus including; a first large nozzle having an interior cavity; a first means for providing carrier gas within said first gas jet apparatus interior cavity; a first small nozzle located within said large nozzle interior cavity for providing a supersonic jet of first reagent gas from a first small nozzle tip configured to provide said first reagent gas directly towards said substrate first position; a second gas jet apparatus affixed to a second vacuum chamber port for providing controlled gas entry into the interior of the vacuum chamber, said second gas jet apparatus including; a second large nozzle having an interior cavity; a second means for providing carrier gas within said second large nozzle interior cavity; a second small nozzle located within said second gas jet apparatus interior cavity for providing a supersonic jet of second reagent gas from a second small nozzle tip configured to provide said second reagent gas directly towards said substrate second position; and a pump means for evacuating gas from said vacuum chamber; said translation apparatus further for moving said substrate between said first and second positions within a time less than a time needed to complete film formation on said substrate, thereby ensuring the substrate film is chemically comprised of at least part of said first and second reagents. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification