Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a dielectric barrier layer is presented. A barrier layer according to the present invention includes a densified amorphous dielectric layer deposited on a substrate by pulsed-DC, substrate biased physical vapor deposition, wherein the densified amorphous dielectric layer is a barrier layer. A method of forming a barrier layer according to the present inventions includes providing a substrate and depositing a highly densified, amorphous, dielectric material over the substrate in a pulsed-dc, biased, wide target physical vapor deposition process. Further, the process can include performing a soft-metal breath treatment on the substrate. Such barrier layers can be utilized as electrical layers, optical layers, immunological layers, or tribological layers.

Abstract: High density oxide films are deposited by a pulsed-DC, biased, reactive sputtering process from a titanium containing target to form high quality titanium containing oxide films. A method of forming a titanium based layer or film according to the present invention includes depositing a layer of titanium containing oxide by pulsed-DC, biased reactive sputtering process on a substrate. In some embodiments, the layer is TiO2. In some embodiments, the layer is a sub-oxide of Titanium. In some embodiments, the layer is TixOy wherein x is between about 1 and about 4 and y is between about 1 and about 7. In some embodiments, the layer can be doped with one or more rare-earth ions. Such layers are useful in energy and charge storage, and energy conversion technologies.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a dielectric barrier layer is presented. A barrier layer according to the present invention includes a densified amorphous dielectric layer deposited on a substrate by pulsed-DC, substrate biased physical vapor deposition, wherein the densified amorphous dielectric layer is a barrier layer. A method of forming a barrier layer according to the present inventions includes providing a substrate and depositing a highly densified, amorphous, dielectric material over the substrate in a pulsed-dc, biased, wide target physical vapor deposition process. Further, the process can include performing a soft-metal breath treatment on the substrate. Such barrier layers can be utilized as electrical layers, optical layers, immunological layers, or tribological layers.

Abstract: Physical vapor deposition processes provide optical materials with controlled and uniform refractive index that meet the requirements for active and passive planar optical devices. All processes use radio frequency (RF) sputtering with a wide area target, larger in area than the substrate on which material is deposited, and uniform plasma conditions which provide uniform target erosion. In addition, a second RF frequency can be applied to the sputtering target and RF power can be applied to the substrate producing substrate bias. Multiple approaches for controlling refractive index are provided. The present RF sputtering methods for material deposition and refractive index control are combined with processes commonly used in semiconductor fabrication to produce planar optical devices such surface ridge devices, buried ridge devices and buried trench devices. A method for forming composite wide area targets from multiple tiles is also provided.

Abstract: A biased pulse DC reactor for sputtering of oxide films is presented. The biased pulse actor couples pulsed DC at a particular frequency to the target through a filter which filters effects of a bias power applied to the substrate, protecting the pulsed DC power supply. deposited utilizing the reactor have controllable material properties such as the index of ion. Optical components such as waveguide amplifiers and multiplexers can be fabricated processes performed on a reactor according to the present inention.

Abstract: A specialized physical vapor deposition process provides dense amorphous semiconducting material with exceptionally smooth morphology. In particular, the process provides dense, smooth amorphous silicon useful as a hard mask for etching optical and semiconductor devices and as a high refractive index material in optical devices. DC sputtering of a planar target of intrinsic crystalline semiconducting material in the presence of a sputtering gas under a condition of uniform target erosion is used to deposit amorphous semiconducting material on a substrate. DC power that is modulated by AC power is applied to the target. The process provides dense, smooth amorphous silicon at high deposition rates. A method of patterning a material layer including forming a hard mask layer of amorphous silicon on a material layer according to the present DC sputtering process is also provided.

Abstract: Physical vapor deposition processes provide optical materials with controlled and uniform refractive index that meet the requirements for active and passive planar optical devices. All processes use radio frequency (RF) sputtering with a wide area target, larger in area than the substrate on which material is deposited, and uniform plasma conditions which provide uniform target erosion. In addition, a second RF frequency can be applied to the sputtering target and RF power can be applied to the substrate producing substrate bias. Multiple approaches for controlling refractive index are provided. The present RF sputtering methods for material deposition and refractive index control are combined with processes commonly used in semiconductor fabrication to produce planar optical devices such surface ridge devices, buried ridge devices and buried trench devices. A method for forming composite wide area targets from multiple tiles is also provided.