Abstract: A method for atomizing a precursor liquid for vapor generation and thin film deposition on a substrate. The precursor liquid is atomized by a carrier gas to form a droplet aerosol composed of small precursor liquid droplets suspended in the carrier gas. The droplet aerosol is then heated to form vapor, producing a gas/vapor mixture that can be introduced into a deposition chamber to form thin films on a substrate. The liquid is introduced into the atomizing apparatus in such a manner as to avoid excessive heating that can occur or lead to the formation of undesirable by-products due to material degradation as result of thermal decomposition. The method is particularly suited for vaporizing high molecular weight substances with a low vapor pressure that requires a high vaporization temperature for the liquid to vaporize. The method can also be used to vaporize solid precursors dissolved in a solvent for vaporization.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and a method for forming a droplet aerosol for vaporization and subsequent thin film deposition on a substrate. The apparatus includes a mechanism to control the rate of liquid flow through the apparatus, the mechanism including a piezoelectric actuator to adjust the rate of liquid flow and an atomizing mechanism drawing gas from a compressed gas source such that when the gas source conjoins with the liquid, the liquid is atomized to form droplets suspended in the gas thereby forming a droplet aerosol suitable for subsequent thin film deposition on a substrate. The method includes drawing a gas from a compressed gas source and drawing a liquid from a liquid source. The liquid and gas are conjoined in either a coaxial flow relationship or a radial flow relationship or an angular relationship between radial and coaxial flow wherein the gas engages the liquid to form droplets suitable for vaporization and subsequent thin film deposition on a substrate.

Abstract: A gas filtration apparatus and method comprises a housing with an inlet for gas to enter and an outlet for the gas to exit. The housing contains a filter comprised of sintered metal fibers having an active filtration area through which the gas flows to remove suspended particles from the gas. The filter is substantially uniform in thickness and porosity through the active filtration area. The filter media being sealed to a metal structure in the housing with the metal structure having an opening to permit gas to flow through. A method of making a vapor/gas mixture includes the steps of producing a vapor in a gas to form the vapor/gas mixture passing the vapor/gas mixture through an opening in a housing containing a filter comprised of sintered metal fibers through which the vapor/gas mixture flows.

Abstract: A method for detecting particles in a gas by saturating the gas with vapor and causing the gas to flow through a chamber with walls that are at a temperature different than the temperature of the entering gas creating a gas turbulence within the chamber resulting in the gas becoming super-saturated with vapor and causing said super-saturated vapor to condense on said particles and form droplets, which are then detected and counted by an optical light-scattering detector.

Abstract: A device for generating sprays of charged droplets, and resulting nanoparticles, the device comprising a first needle connected to an electrical potential line to generate a first spray of charged particles from the first needle, and a second needle spaced apart from and facing the first needle, and connected to an electrical line configured to ground the second needle or to apply a voltage to the second needle that is the same polarity as the voltage applied to the first needle. The device also comprising an electric field modifier connected to the first needle, and configured to modify an electrical field to generate a second spray of charged particles from the second needle.

Abstract: A method for atomizing a precursor liquid for vapor generation and thin film deposition on a substrate. The precursor liquid is atomized by a carrier gas to form a droplet aerosol comprised of small precursor liquid droplets suspended in the carrier gas. The droplet aerosol is then heated to form vapor, producing a gas/vapor mixture that can be introduced into a deposition chamber to form thin films on a substrate. The liquid is introduced into the atomizing apparatus in such a manner as to avoid excessive heating that can occur or lead to the formation of undesirable by-products due to material degradation as result of thermal decomposition. The method is particularly suited for vaporizing high molecular weight substances with a low vapor pressure that requires a high vaporization temperature for the liquid to vaporize. The method can also be used to vaporize solid precursors dissolved in a solvent for vaporization.

Abstract: An apparatus for atomizing a precursor liquid for vapor generation and thin film deposition on a substrate. The precursor liquid is atomized by a carrier gas to form a droplet aerosol composed of small precursor liquid droplets suspended in the carrier gas. The droplet aerosol is then heated to form vapor, producing a gas/vapor mixture that can be introduced into a deposition chamber to form thin films on a substrate. The liquid is introduced into the atomizing apparatus in such a manner as to avoid excessive heating that can occur or lead to the formation of undesirable by-products due to material degradation as result of thermal decomposition. The apparatus is particularly suited for vaporizing high molecular weight substances with a low vapor pressure that requires a high vaporization temperature for the liquid to vaporize. The apparatus can also be used to vaporize solid precursors dissolved in a solvent for vaporization.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method and apparatus for detecting particles in a gas by saturating the gas with vapor and causing the gas to flow through a chamber with walls that are at a temperature different than the temperature of the entering gas creating a gas turbulence within the chamber resulting in the gas becoming super-saturated with vapor and causing said super-saturated vapor to condense on said particles and form droplets, which are then detected and counted by an optical light-scattering detector.

Abstract: A method for establishing a calibrating standard for wafer inspection includes depositing solid ionized particles of a known size range with an aerosol onto a wafer. The method also includes depositing particles onto a wafer in a deposition chamber by using an aerosol stream and the solid particles suspended in a gas; ionizing the aerosol stream with a negative or positive charge polarity or both by passing the aerosol stream through a non-radioactive ionizer to produce charged particles and supplying such aerosol stream to the deposition chamber.

Abstract: This disclosure pertains to a method and apparatus to permit changing a filter on the input line to a vacuum deposition chamber without breaking or reducing the vacuum for the deposition chamber and other components in the deposition system. Isolation valves are provided at the inlet and outlet of the filter so the filter can be isolated from the source of vacuum and the deposition chamber for removal and replacement of the filter.

Abstract: An apparatus for atomizing a precursor liquid for vapor generation and thin film deposition on a substrate. The precursor liquid is atomized by a carrier gas to form a droplet aerosol comprised of small precursor liquid droplets suspended in the carrier gas. The droplet aerosol is then heated to form vapor, producing a gas/vapor mixture that can be introduced into a deposition chamber to form thin films on a substrate. The liquid is introduced into the atomizing apparatus in such a manner as to avoid excessive heating that can occur or lead to the formation of undesirable by-products due to material degradation as result of thermal decomposition. The apparatus is particularly suited for vaporizing high molecular weight substances with a low vapor pressure that requires a high vaporization temperature for the liquid to vaporize. The apparatus can also be used to vaporize solid precursors dissolved in a solvent for vaporization.

Abstract: An apparatus for atomizing a precursor liquid for vapor generation and thin film deposition on a substrate. The precursor liquid is atomized by a carrier gas to form a droplet aerosol composed of small precursor liquid droplets suspended in the carrier gas. The droplet aerosol is then heated to form vapor, producing a gas/vapor mixture that can be introduced into a deposition chamber to form thin films on a substrate. The liquid is introduced into the atomizing apparatus in such a manner as to avoid excessive heating that can occur or lead to the formation of undesirable by-products due to material degradation as result of thermal decomposition. The apparatus is particularly suited for vaporizing high molecular weight substances with a low vapor pressure that requires a high vaporization temperature for the liquid to vaporize. The apparatus can also be used to vaporize solid precursors dissolved in a solvent for vaporization.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating vapor from a liquid precursor for a thin film deposition on a substrate includes an inlet section in fluid communication with a downstream vaporization chamber section. The inlet section comprises a gas inlet for receiving gas from a gas source through a gas flow sensor and a gas flow control valve and a liquid inlet for receiving liquid from a liquid source through a liquid flow sensor and a liquid flow control valve. An electronic controller controls the gas and liquid flow control valves thereby controlling the rates of gas and liquid flow into the inlet section to generate vapor in the downstream vaporization chamber section for thin film deposition on the substrate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for exposing particles in a gas in order to cause the charge on the particles to change, the apparatus comprising a chamber with an inlet for the gas to enter and an outlet for the gas to exit. The chamber is surrounded by an enclosure with a conductive wall, the wall being held at a ground potential. An electrode with an exposed tip is in contact with the gas in the chamber, the electrode being held at a different potential from the ground potential. The electrode is connected to a source of voltage sufficient to cause a corona discharge to occur forming ions in the chamber, and creating a region of space with a high electric field intensity and another region of space in which the electric field intensity is lower. The inlet and outlet define a gas flow path from the inlet to the outlet such that the gas flow path passes mainly through the region with the lower electric field intensity.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and a method for forming a droplet aerosol for vaporization and subsequent thin film deposition on a substrate. The apparatus includes a mechanism to control the rate of liquid flow through the apparatus, the mechanism including a piezoelectric actuator to adjust the rate of liquid flow and an atomizing mechanism drawing gas from a compressed gas source such that when the gas source conjoins with the liquid, the liquid is atomized to form droplets suspended in the gas thereby forming a droplet aerosol suitable for subsequent thin film deposition on a substrate. The method includes drawing a gas from a compressed gas source and drawing a liquid from a liquid source. The liquid and gas are conjoined in either a coaxial flow relationship or a radial flow relationship or an angular relationship between radial and coaxial flow wherein the gas engages the liquid to faun droplets suitable for vaporization and subsequent thin film deposition on a substrate.

Abstract: A method for establishing a calibrating standard for wafer inspection includes depositing solid ionized particles of a known size range with an aerosol onto a wafer. The method also includes depositing particles onto a wafer in a deposition chamber by using an aerosol stream and the solid particles suspended in a gas; ionizing the aerosol stream with a negative or positive charge polarity or both by passing the aerosol stream through a non-radioactive ionizer to produce charged particles and supplying such aerosol stream to the deposition chamber.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method and apparatus for detecting particles in a gas by saturating the gas with vapor and causing the gas to flow through a chamber with walls that are at a temperature different than the temperature of the entering gas creating a gas turbulence within the chamber resulting in the gas becoming super-saturated with vapor and causing said super-saturated vapor to condense on said particles and form droplets, which are then detected and counted by an optical light-scattering detector.

Abstract: A method for establishing a calibrating standard for wafer inspection includes depositing solid ionized particles of a known size range with an aerosol onto a wafer. The method also includes depositing particles onto a wafer in a deposition chamber by using an aerosol stream and the solid particles suspended in a gas; ionizing the aerosol stream with a negative or positive charge polarity or both by passing the aerosol stream through a non-radioactive ionizer to produce charged particles and supplying such aerosol stream to the deposition chamber. An apparatus for producing charged particles includes an atomizer and a non-radioactive ionizer in fluid communication with each other. The apparatus may also include an electrospray droplet generator for producing an aerosol with dry-solid particles and an ionizer that ionizes the molecules of the gas.

Abstract: The present disclosure has an apparatus for detecting fibers in a gas flowing along a passageway. A laser beam is provided at one end of the passageway and the beam is directed along a length of the passageway through which the gas flows. An electrode system, as disclosed, a quadrupole electrode system is mounted along the passageway to cause fibers carried in the gas to oscillate in a detection zone. A photo detector is positioned laterally of the passageway and detects light scattered by the oscillating fibers and projected through an opening in the passageway to provide an output signal that is a function of the light scattered by the fibers in the detection zone.

Abstract: The present invention involves injecting a liquid and gas into a vapor holding chamber held at a sufficiently high temperature to insure all the liquid injected is vaporized and held in the chamber as a vapor. The gas/vapor mixture is then delivered to the deposition chamber in which the deposition substrate is held.