Abstract: A plasma processing system and method wherein a power source produces a magnetic field and an electric field, and a window disposed between the power source and an interior of a plasma chamber couples the magnetic field into the plasma chamber thereby to couple power inductively into the chamber and based thereon produce a plasma in the plasma chamber. The window can be shaped and dimensioned to control an amount of power capacitively coupled to the plasma chamber by means of the electric field so that the amount of capacitively coupled power is selected in a range from zero to a predetermined amount. Also, a tuned antenna strap having r.f. power applied thereto to produce a standing wave therein can be arranged adjacent the window to couple magnetic field from a current maximum formed in the strap to the interior of the chamber.

Abstract: A plasma processing system and method wherein a power source produces a magnetic field and an electric field, and a window disposed between the power source and an interior of a plasma chamber couples the magnetic field into the plasma chamber thereby to couple power inductively into the chamber and based thereon produce a plasma in the plasma chamber. The window can be shaped and dimensioned to control an amount of power capacitively coupled to the plasma chamber by means of the electric field so that the amount of capacitively coupled power is selected in a range from zero to a predetermined amount. Also, a tuned antenna strap having r.f. power applied thereto to produce a standing wave therein can be arranged adjacent the window to couple magnetic field from a current maximum formed in the strap to the interior of the chamber.

Abstract: A plasma processing system and method wherein a power source produces a magnetic field and an electric field, and a window disposed between the power source and an interior of a plasma chamber couples the magnetic field into the plasma chamber thereby to couple power inductively into the chamber and based thereon produce a plasma in the plasma chamber. The window can be shaped and dimensioned to control an amount of power capacitively coupled to the plasma chamber by means of the electric field so that the amount of capacitively coupled power is selected in a range from zero to a predetermined amount. Also, a tuned antenna strap having r.f. power applied thereto to produce a standing wave therein can be arranged adjacent the window to couple magnetic field from a current maximum formed in the strap to the interior of the chamber.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for plasma waste disposal of hazardous waste material, where the hazardous material is volatilized under vacuum inside a containment chamber to produce a pre-processed gas as input to a plasma furnace including a plasma-forming region in which a plasma-forming magnetic field is produced. The pre-processed gas is passed at low pressure and without circumvention through the plasma-forming region and is directly energized to an inductively coupled plasma state such that hazardous waste reactants included in the pre-processed gas are completely dissociated in transit through the plasma-forming region. Preferably, the plasma-forming region is shaped as a vacuum annulus and is dimensioned such that there is no bypass by which hazardous waste reactants in the pre-processed gas can circumvent the plasma-forming region. The plasma furnace is powered by a high frequency power supply outputting power at a fundamental frequency.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for plasma waste disposal of hazardous waste material, where the hazardous material is volatilized under vacuum inside a containment chamber to produce a pre-processed gas as input to a plasma furnace including a plasma-forming region in which a plasma-forming magnetic field is produced. The pre-processed gas is passed at low pressure and without circumvention through the plasma-forming region and is directly energized to an inductively coupled plasma state such that hazardous waste reactants included in the pre-processed gas are completely dissociated in transit through the plasma-forming region. Preferably, the plasma-forming region is shaped as a vacuum annulus and is dimensioned such that there is no bypass by which hazardous waste reactants in the pre-processed gas can circumvent the plasma-forming region. The plasma furnace is powered by a high frequency power supply outputting power at a fundamental frequency.

Abstract: A line plasma source (20) comprises a plasma chamber (30) configured so that plasma (32) is situated remotely and on-edge with respect to a polycrystalline silicon surface (20S) to be treated, thereby preventing damage to the surface, facilitating treatment of large substrates, and permitting low temperature operation. Active species exit the plasma chamber through a long narrow ("line") outlet aperture (36) in the plasma chamber to a reaction zone (W) whereat the active species react with a reaction gas on the polycrystalline silicon surface (e.g., to form a deposited thin film). The polycrystalline silicon surface is heated to a low temperature below 6000.degree. C. Hydrogen is removed from the reactive surface in the low temperature line plasma source by a chemical displacement reaction facilitated by choice of dominant active species (singlet delta state of molecular oxygen).

Abstract: A thin film transistor comprises an insulator interposed between a gate electrode and a polycrystalline silicon semiconductor layer, with the polycrystalline silicon semiconductor layer having a source region and a drain region with a channel between the source region and the drain region. The insulator comprises an ONO structure having an interfacial oxide layer in contact with the polycrystalline silicon semiconductor layer, a cap oxide layer in contact with the gate electrode, and a nitride layer interposed between the interfacial oxide layer and the nitride layer.

Abstract: A variable frequency microwave heating apparatus (10) designed to allow modulation of the frequency of the microwaves introduced into a furnace cavity (34) for testing or other selected applications. The variable frequency heating apparatus (10) is used in the method of the present invention to monitor the resonant processing frequency within the furnace cavity (34) depending upon the material, including the state thereof, from which the workpiece (36) is fabricated. The variable frequency microwave heating apparatus (10) includes a microwave signal generator (12) and a high-power microwave amplifier (20) or a microwave voltage-controlled oscillator (14). A power supply (22) is provided for operation of the high-power microwave oscillator (14) or microwave amplifier (20). A directional coupler (24) is provided for detecting the direction and amplitude of signals incident upon and reflected from the microwave cavity (34).

Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process and apparatus for the growth of diamond films using vapor mixtures of selected compounds having desired moieties, specifically precursors that provide carbon and etchant species that remove graphite. The process involves two steps. In the first step, feedstock gas enters a conversion zone. In the second step, by-products from the conversion zone proceed to an atomization zone where diamond is produced. In a preferred embodiment a feedstock gas phase mixture including at least 20% water which provides the etchant species is reacted with an alcohol which provides the requisite carbon precursor at low temperature (55.degree.-1100.degree. C.) and low pressure (0.1 to 100 Torr), preferably in the presence of an organic acid (acetic acid) which contributes etchant species reactant. In the reaction process, the feedstock gas mixture is converted to H.sub.2, CO, C.sub.2 H.sub.2, no O.sub.2, with some residual water. Oxygen formerly on the water is transferred to CO.

Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique (process and apparatus) for the growth of diamond films using vapor mixtures of selected compounds having desired moieties, specifically precursors that provide carbon and etchant species that remove graphite disclosed. The selected compounds are reacted in a plasma created by a confined rf discharge to produce diamond films on a diamond or a non-diamond substrate. In a preferred embodiment a gas phase mixture including at least 20% water which provides the etchant species is reacted with an alcohol which provides the requisite carbon precursor at low temperature (300.degree.-650.degree. C.) and low pressure (0.1 to 10 Torr), preferably in the presence of an organic acid (acetic acid) which contributes etchant species reactant. In the preferred embodiment the volumetric mixtures have typically been 40-80% water and 60-20% alcohol. The gaseous mixture of H.sub.2 O and alcohol is dissociated to produce H, OH, and carbon radicals.

Abstract: A remote plasma enhanced CVD apparatus and method for growing semiconductor layers on a substrate, wherein a intermediate feed gas, which does not itself contain constituent elements to be deposited, is first activated in an activation region to produce plural reactive species of the feed gas. These reactive species are then spatially filtered to remove selected of the reactive species, leaving only other, typically metastable, species which are then mixed with a carrier gas including constituent elements to be deposited on the substrate. During this mixing, the selected spatially filtered reactive species of the feed gas chemically interacts, i.e., partially dissociates and activates, in the gas phase, the carrier gas, with the process variables being selected so that there is no back-diffusion of gases or reactive species into the feed gas activation region. The dissociated and activated carrier gas along with the surviving reactive species of the feed gas then flows to the substrate.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including a single crystal semiconductor host material having a surface; an ultrathin pseudomorphic single crystal epitaxial interlayer formed on the surface of the host material, wherein the interlayer is formed of a material and has a thickness selected so that the material of the interlayer is elastically deformed on the surface of the host material to match the lattice constant of the interlayer material with the lattice constant of the host material; and a further material incompatible with the host material when interfaced directly with the host material, but compatible with the interlayer, provided on the interlayer and thereby interfaced with the host material to perform a predetermined function with respect to the interlayer and the host material.

Abstract: A remote plasma enhanced CVD apparatus and method for growing semiconductor layers on a substrate, wherein an intermediate feed gas, which does not itself contain constituent elements to be deposited, is first activated in an activation region to produce plural reactive species of the feed gas. These reactive species are then spatially filtered to remove selected of the reactive species, leaving only other, typically metastable, species which are then mixed with a carrier gas including constituent elements to be deposited on the substrate. During this mixing, the selected spatially filtered reactive species of the feed gas chemically interacts, i.e., partially dissociates and activates, in the gas phase, the carrier gas, with the process variables being selected so that there is no back-diffusion of gases or reactive species into the feed gas activation region. The dissociated and activated carrier gas along with the surviving reactive species of the feed gas then flows to the substrate.

Abstract: A remote plasma enhanced CVD apparatus and method for growing semiconductor layers on a substrate, wherein an intermediate feed gas, which does not itself contain constituent elements to be deposited, is first activated in an activation region to produce plural reactive species of the feed gas. These reactive species are then spatially filtered to remove selected of the reactive species, leaving only other, typically metastable, species which are then mixed with a carrier gas including constituent elements to be deposited on the substrate. During this mixing, the selected spatially filtered reactive species of the feed gas chemically interacts, i.e., partially dissociates and activates, in the gas phase, the carrier gas, with the process variables being selected so that there is no back-diffusion of gases or reactive species into the feed gas activation region. The dissociated and activated carrier gas along with the surviving reactive species of the feed gas then flows to the substrate.

Abstract: A multijunction solar cell is disclosed which uses a patterned intercell ohmic connection as the tunnel junction to connect a top solar cell in electrical and optical series with a bottom solar cell. By confining this patterned tunnel junction to shadowed areas directly beneath the top surface metallization grid, the tunnel junction is set free from the requirement that it be transparent and have band gaps greater than or equal to those of the top solar cell.