Ionized cluster beam deposition of sapphire
First Claim
1. A method of depositing a layer of sapphire on a surface of a substrate, comprising the steps of:
- depositing sapphire in a crucible having a nozzle;
positioning said crucible in a vacuum chamber having a first pressure level;
positioning said substrate in said vacuum chamber;
heating said crucible to a first temperature to cause said sapphire to be vaporized at a second pressure level within said crucible, said second pressure level being greater in magnitude than said first pressure level, such that said vapor is ejected through said nozzle, thereby forming clusters of sapphire by adiabatic expansion, said sapphire clusters being formed in said vacuum chamber outside of said crucible in the vicinity of said nozzle;
bombarding said sapphire clusters with electrons, thereby resulting in some number of said sapphire clusters being partially ionized along with some number of sapphire clusters remaining non-ionized; and
accelerating both said ionized and non-ionized sapphire clusters toward a surface of said substrate to form a deposited sapphire film thereon of a thickness.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Sapphire, a highly stable oxide of aluminum having the chemical formula of Al2 O3, is placed in a crucible. The crucible is heated to vaporize the sapphire therein. The sapphire vapor is ejected through a nozzle in the crucible and into a region having a vacuum pressure of approximately 10-5 Torr or less. As the vapor leaves the crucible through the nozzle, atom aggregates or clusters are formed through a supercooled phenomenon due to adiabatic expansion. The vacuum region has disposed therein a substrate comprised of one of various materials, including metals, oxides or silicon. The sapphire vapor is accelerated towards the substrate where it deposits on a surface of the substrate in a uniformly distributed thin layer.
50 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of depositing a layer of sapphire on a surface of a substrate, comprising the steps of:
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depositing sapphire in a crucible having a nozzle; positioning said crucible in a vacuum chamber having a first pressure level; positioning said substrate in said vacuum chamber; heating said crucible to a first temperature to cause said sapphire to be vaporized at a second pressure level within said crucible, said second pressure level being greater in magnitude than said first pressure level, such that said vapor is ejected through said nozzle, thereby forming clusters of sapphire by adiabatic expansion, said sapphire clusters being formed in said vacuum chamber outside of said crucible in the vicinity of said nozzle; bombarding said sapphire clusters with electrons, thereby resulting in some number of said sapphire clusters being partially ionized along with some number of sapphire clusters remaining non-ionized; and accelerating both said ionized and non-ionized sapphire clusters toward a surface of said substrate to form a deposited sapphire film thereon of a thickness. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for forming a sapphire layer superjacent a substrate, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing sapphire in a crucible having a nozzle; positioning said crucible and a substrate within a vacuum chamber, said vacuum chamber having a first pressure level, said substrate comprising at least one of single crystal silicon, polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, aluminum, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, doped glass, undoped glass, and an oxide; heating said crucible to a first temperature to vaporize said sapphire at a second pressure level within said crucible; regulating said heating of said crucible at said first temperature by a vibration frequency of a crystal coupled to said substrate, said vibration frequency corresponding to a deposition rate of said deposited sapphire film on said substrate, such that said second pressure level substantially exceeds said first pressure level, thereby forming clusters of sapphire and ejecting said sapphire clusters from said crucible in the direction of said substrate; ionizing a portion of said sapphire clusters by electron bombardment, thereby providing a remaining portion of non-ionized sapphire clusters; and accelerating both said ionized and said non-ionized clusters toward said substrate, thereby forming a sapphire film superjacent said substrate. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification