Co-deposited films with nano-columnar structures and formation process

• US 6,770,353 B1
• Filed: 01/13/2003
• Issued: 08/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Neiman, David, Herman, Gregory S, Champion, David, OʼNeil, James, Govyadinov, Alexander, Mardilovich, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Stein, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US10/341,651
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 428/195, 428/210, 428/304.4, 428/446, 428/450, 428/209, 428/698, 313/230, 429/12
• US Class Current: 428/209
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/04 Processes of manufacture in general
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/13 Electrodes for accumulators with non-aqueous electrolyte, e.g. for lithium-accumulators; Processes of manufacture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1213 characterised by the electrode/electrolyte combination or the supporting material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1286 Fuel cells applied on a support, e.g. miniature fuel cells deposited on silica supports
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24917 including metal layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24926 including ceramic, glass, porcelain or quartz layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249953 Composite having voids in a component [e.g., porous, cellular, etc.]

Abstract

The invention concerns co-deposited films with nano-columnar structures. A film of the invention is formed upon a substrate, and includes a nano-columnar structure of a first material and a co-deposited second material.

Claims

1. A continuous thin film comprising:

nano-columnar structures of a first material formed on a substrate with a second non-mixable material co-deposited with said nano-columnar structures as a filler between and around said nano-coumnar structures.

2. The continuous thin film of claim 1, wherein said filler of said second non-mixable material encapsulates said nano-columnar structures.

3. The continuous thin film of claim 2, wherein said nano-columnar structures comprise fragmented nano-coumnar structures.

4. The continuous thin film of claim 1, further comprising a planarized surface.

5. The continuous thin film of claim 4, wherein said planarized surface exposes at least some of said nano-columnar structures and at least part of said filler.

6. The continuous thin film of claim 4, further comprising a material layer deposited upon said planarized surface.

7. The continuous thin film of claim 1, further comprising a material layer deposited upon said nano-columnar structures.

8. A nodular silicon emitter device formed of a continuous thin film of claim 7, having emission sites defined by the nano-columnar structures and wherein said material layer deposited upon said nano-columnar structures comprises a thin conductive layer.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein said nano-columnar structures comprise silicon, said substrate comprises silicon, said filler comprises silicon dioxide and said thin conductive layer comprises one of a metal, alloy or semiconductor.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein said nano-columnar structures form regularly spaced and uniform nodules under said thin conductive layer.

11. The continuous thin film of claim 1, wherein said nano-columnar structures are disposed at an angle of θ

=0°

with respect to a normal of said substrate.

12. An encapsulated phase change media formed of the continuous film of claim 1, wherein a phase change material comprises the first material.

13. The phase change media of claim 12, wherein said first material is selected from the group consisting of In_xSe_y, InSe_xTe_y, GaSe, GaSe_xTe_y, and Se.

14. The phase change media of claim 12, further comprising a planarized surface and a material layer deposited upon said planarized surface.

15. A magnetic material formed of the continuous film of claim 1, wherein said nano-columnar structures comprise a magnetic material and said filler comprises a para- or diamagnetic matrix.

16. A sub-micro capillary plate formed of the continuous film of claim 1 and processed to remove said nano-columnar structures, wherein said filler comprises conductive material having secondary emission properties and gaps left by said nano-columnar structures comprise cylindrical holes.

17. The continuous film of claim 1, wherein said nano-columnar structures themselves form a porous continuous film and said filler fills pores of said porous thin film.

18. The continuous film of claim 1, wherein:

said first material is selected from the group consisting of Au, Sm, Co, Zr, Ti, Al, Y, TaAl_x, Ce, TiN_x, TaN_x, Si₃N₄, SiO_xN_y, TaO_x, SiO₂, Al₂O₃, ZnO, SDC, SSCO, and YSZ; and

said second material is different from said first material, able to be co-deposited with the first material and selected from the group consisting of Au, Sm, Co, Zr, Ti, Al, Y, TaAl_x, Ce, TiN_x, TaN_x, Si₃N₄, Si_xO_yN_z, TaO_x, SiO₂, Al₂O₃, ZnO, SDC, SSCO, and YSZ.

19. A continuous thin film, comprising:

a material layer deposited as a thin film upon a substrate, said material layer comprising nano-columns of a first material surrounded by filler of a second non-mixable material; and

pores supported by said second material and extending completely through said material layer.

20. The continuous thin film of claim 19, wherein said second material is reduced in volume from its initial deposition state.

21. The continuous thin film of claim 20, further comprising a third material deposited upon said material layer.

22. The continuous film of claim 20, wherein said second material forms getter.

23. The continuous thin film of claim 21, wherein:

said first material is selected from the group consisting of Au, Sm, Co, Zr, Ti, Al, Y, TaAl_x, Ce, TiN_x, TaN_x, Si₃N₄, SiO_xN_y, TaO_x, SiO₂, Al₂O₃, ZnO, SDC, SSCO, and YSZ; and

said second material is different from said first material, able to be co-deposited with the first material and selected from the group consisting of Au, Sm, Co, Zr, Ti, Al, Y, TaAl_x, Ce, TiN_x, TaN_x, Si₃N₄, SiO_xN_y, TaO_x, SiO₂, Al₂O₃, ZnO, SDC, SSCO, and YSZ.

24. A thin film fuel cell, having an anode and cathode both formed of the continuous thin film of claim 19.