Abstract: An epitaxial growth system comprises a housing around an epitaxial growth chamber. A substrate support is located within the growth chamber. A gallium source introduces gallium into the growth chamber and directs the gallium towards the substrate. An activated nitrogen source introduces activated nitrogen into the growth chamber and directs the activated nitrogen towards the substrate. The activated nitrogen comprises ionic nitrogen species and atomic nitrogen species. An external magnet and/or an exit aperture control the amount of atomic nitrogen species and ionic nitrogen species reaching the substrate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generation of a discharge in own vapors of a radio frequency electrode for sustained self-sputtering and evaporation comprising the steps of: (a) generation of a radio frequency discharge by a radio frequency electrode of a hollow geometry in an auxiliary gas introduced into the discharge area at a pressure necessary for an initiation of a hollow cathode discharge inside the hollow electrode causing sputtering and/or evaporation of the electrode surface; (b) increasing the radio frequency power to said hollow electrode to enhance density of vapors containing particles released from the electrode by the sputtering and/or evaporation in the radio frequency generated hollow cathode discharge up to a density at which a self-sustained discharge remains after the inflow of said auxiliary gas is closed and the pumping of gas is adjusted to a value necessary for the maintenance of the discharge. The hollow radio frequency electrode may serve as an inlet of said auxiliary gas.

Abstract: An epitaxial growth apparatus includes a substrate heating member, a growth chamber, a molecular beam source, a nozzle for ejecting a gaseous source material, an exhaust pipe, and a vacuum chamber. When a gate valve is opened between the vacuum chamber and the growth chamber, gas is exhausted from the growth chamber, and the pressure in the growth chamber is rapidly reduced. The transition from a state where the degree of vacuum is low to a state where the degree of vacuum is high is performed rapidly. Therefore, one crystalline growth apparatus is sufficient for freely selecting among growth modes to achieve desired thickness and controllability of the carrier concentration in an epitaxially grown layer. One mode requires selectivity and another mode suppresses dopant concentration for epitaxial growth of layers of an optical device or of a microwave device.

Abstract: A method of making a gas-impermeable, chemically inert container wall structure comprising the steps of providing a base layer of an organic polymeric material; conducting a pair of reactive gases to the surface of the base layer preferably by pulsed gas injection; heating the gases preferably by microwave energy pulses sufficiently to create a plasma which causes chemical reaction of the gases to form an inorganic vapor compound which becomes deposited on the surface, and continuing the conducting and heating until the compound vapor deposit on the surface forms a gas-impermeable, chemically inert barrier layer of the desired thickness on the surface. Various wall structures and apparatus for making them are also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus for a vapor-phase epitaxial growth of a thin film on a substrate, which attains a decrease in the transition width, and at the same time, enables the thin film to be formed in a uniform thickness. This apparatus comprises a reaction vessel 18 of a flat shape, supply nozzles 15 for feeding a source gas 19 from a peripheral part of the reaction vessel 18, a susceptor 13 for holding a semiconductor single crystal substrate(s) 12 substantially horizontally, an infrared heating lamp 14, and a gas outlet 11 provided in a central part of an upper wall of the reaction vessel 18. Owing to this apparatus, the source gas 19 is gathered in a central part of the reaction vessel 18 without forming a vortex and then is discharged through the gas outlet 11.

Abstract: A ferroelectric thin film superior in coatability, fineness of structure and uniformity of composition, is obtained by a method comprised of inducing ferroelectric reactant materials consisting of plural elements into dissociation by exciting plasma with RF power in order for them to participate in a deposition reaction; setting an optimal process condition in which the ions dissociated from the reactant materials by the excited plasma are subjected to deposition at high temperatures under low pressures; supplying the reactant materials through conduits, a manifold and a shower head to a reactor without deterioration, the manifold collecting the reactant materials, the shower head serving to spray the mixed reactant materials; and depositing a ferroelectric thin film in the reactor while purging residual gas from the conduits.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for ionizing material vapors generated thermally at reduced pressure, characterized in that the material vapors are exposed to electrons from the cathode spots 6 of a self-consuming cold cathode 3, 4, the thermal vaporization device 7 being connected as an anode, so that a vacuum arc discharge forms between cathode 3, 4 and anode 7. Another objective of the invention is a device for operating said process, wherein in a vacuum chamber 1, there is arranged a coolable cathode holder 3 having the cathode material 4 applied thereon for generating cathode spots on the self-consuming cold cathode, a thermal material vaporization system 7, 8, 9 connected as an anode, a wall 10 surrounding the cathode and connected as an auxiliary anode, which wall has an opening opposite the cathode.

Abstract: A present invention relates to improvements in electric arc vapor deposition chambers. A first improvement involves the utilization of a heat shield disposed between a source and a substrate to decrease heat energy radiating from the source directly to the substrate. In a preferred embodiment, the heat shield is cooled by a liquid cooling system which acts to remove heat energy from the chamber. An improved source mounting assembly of the present invention provides for enhanced cooling of the source material. It includes the utilization of a back surface of the source material as a wall of a coolant chamber within the source mounting assembly. An O-ring seal is disposed at the rearward face of the source material to provide a cool temperature environment for the O-ring seal while it prevents coolant leakage into the chamber.

Abstract: A method of capturing and removing contaminant particles moving within an evacuated interior region of an ion beam implanter is disclosed. The steps of the method include: providing a particle collector having a surface to which contaminant particles readily adhere; securing the particle collector to the implanter such that particle adhering surface is in fluid communication to the contaminant particles moving within the interior region; and removing the particle collector from the implanter after a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for depositing a silicon oxide layer onto a wafer or substrate is provided. The present method includes introducing into a processing chamber a process gas including silicon, oxygen, boron, phosphorus and germanium to form a germanium doped BPSG oxide layer having a reflow temperature of less than 800.degree. C. Preferred embodiments of the present method are performed in either a subatmospheric CVD or a plasma enhanced CVD processing apparatus.

Abstract: A method for the growth of semiconducting nitrides, such as GaN, InN, AlN, and their alloys, in an ultra-high vacuum chamber, wherein low energy atomic nitrogen is generated by a plasma-excited radical atom source, the atom beam is introduced to the heated substrate within a short distance, other gaseous reactants and dopants, such as TMGa, TMIn, TMAj, DEZn, CP.sub.2 Mg, SiH.sub.4, and similar organmetallic and hydride sources, are injected from a circular injector located between the substrate and the atom source, and therefore large area epitaxy with high growth rate is obtained.

Abstract: A film-forming apparatus for forming an impurity-doped film on an object such as a semiconductor wafer has an elongated reaction tube located such that its longitudinal direction is identical to the vertical direction, and having an object arrangement region in which a plurality of objects or semiconductor wafers to be processed can be arranged at intervals in the vertical direction. A film-forming gas is introduced into the reaction tube through a film-forming gas introduction pipe.

Abstract: A method of fabrication of preforms for manufacturing of optical fibers based on surface plasma wave chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is proposed. A surface plasma wave of either the symmetric E.sub.01 or the hybrid HE.sub.11 type is excited on the outside surface of a dielectric starting body. The plasma leads to a CVD of doped or undoped silica layers to obtain the preform. The advantages of the method are the absence of any moving parts in the machinery, high deposition rates, minimal precursor gas usage. Equipment to carry out this process is described as well.

Abstract: Lenses are brought individually or in pairs on a transport device (12) to a continuous vacuum apparatus (1) equipped with a rotating substrate carrier (3). The eyeglass lenses (13) are introduced through a system of locks (15) into the continuous vacuum apparatus (1), where they are coated in at least one controllable coating station (5, 6, 7) with at least one transparent layer and then sent back to the transport device (12). The eyeglass lenses (13) are given codes (18), and the codes are read by a code reader (19). The coating parameters of the individual coating stations (5, 6, 7) and the drive of the substrate carrier (3) are controlled by the code reader (19).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a magnetic recording medium in which production of flakes in a film-forming process and the occurrence of arc discharge in the film-forming surface of a substrate are prevented to thereby attain improvement in the quality of the resulting film and in producing efficiency. A web-like substrate is made to run in a vacuum chamber while the substrate is arranged opposite to a sheet-shaped plasma stream. At the same time, a reactive gas is supplied to the plasma stream while an electric field is generated in a direction crossing the plasma stream and the substrate, which are arranged opposite to each other to thereby form a thin film on the plasma stream side surface of the substrate. Accordingly, the production of flakes is prevented, so that the occurrence of arc discharge in the film-forming surface of the substrate is prevented.

Abstract: A thin film forming device comprises a vacuum chamber which is vacuous inside, a substrate holder which is provided in the vacuum chamber for holding a substrate thereon and a molecular beam source disposed in the vacuum chamber directed toward the substrate holder. An endoscope is inserted in the vacuum chamber at the tip end thereof and is covered by a transparent protecting tube connected to the tip end of a bellows. As the bellows is stretched or retracted, the tip end portion of the endoscope and the protecting tube can be advanced to a space between the substrate held by the substrate holder and the molecular beam source or retracted into a shelter provided at a side of the space. As a result, it is possible to know the composition of a thin film as well as to observe the irradiation source of material of the thin film and the plasma radiation while the film is being formed on the film-forming surface of the substrate in the vacuum chamber.

Abstract: An improved vacuum arc coating apparatus is provided, having a tube defining reaction zone with a plasma channel defined within a series of aligned annular substrate holders, or between an outer wall of an axial chain of substrate holder blocks and the inner wall of the tube. The substrate holders thus act as a liner, confining an arc within the plasma channel. Carrier and plasma-creating gases and the reaction species are introduced into the tube, and the deposition process may be carried out at a pressure between 100 Torr and 1000 Torr. Magnetic coils may be used to create a longitudinal magnetic field which focuses the plasma column created by the arc, and to create a transverse magnetic field which is used to bias the plasma column toward the substrates. Substrates can thus be placed anywhere within the reaction zone, and the transverse magnetic field can be used to direct the plasma column toward the substrate, or the tube itself can be rotated to pass the substrate through the plasma column.

Abstract: A single chamber of a vapor deposition system is used to deposit both Ti and TiN, subsequent to deposition of Al or Al alloy. Because such layers are deposited in the same chamber, the process requires fewer handling steps than the conventional process, thereby increasing throughput. Still further, only three physical vapor deposition chambers of the four of the apparatus are used, thereby allowing the fourth chamber to be used for other deposition.

Abstract: A plasma assisted deposition of a very thin inner surface coating inside a plastic or metal container is achieved using insoluble, inert, inorganic substances such as silica, or insoluble metal oxides, or by using mixtures of substances, for example of metals, metal oxides, metal salts and carbon and/or organic radicals, so as to form a flexible structure or lattice, or by using different layers of such structures. It involves locating the container in an evacuated enclosure, placing a vaporizer containing inert inorganic material of a predetermined constituency inside the container, generating a vapor of said material, forming a plasma of said vapor, and depositing a relatively thin coating of said material over a predetermined area of an inside surface of said container, whereby the high temperature of the particles of said coating penetrate said surface due to their heat energy while causing no overall rise in surface temperature because of the low mass flow.

Abstract: A microwave plasma enhanced PVD/CVD apparatus and method. The apparatus includes an evacuable deposition chamber having a plasma region and a deposition region adjacent one another. The apparatus also includes a source of microwave energy, and a microwave waveguide to transfer microwave energy from the source thereof to the plasma region. Additionally, the apparatus includes a plate, crucible or boat for holding solid or liquid starting materials within said plasma region, and a system of flow controllers and gas transport tubing for introducing gaseous materials into the plasma region, the interaction of the microwave energy with the gaseous materials forms a plasma within the plasma region. The plasma provides thermal energy for the evaporation of the solid or liquid starting materials and causes the reaction of any reactive gases or vapors present in the plasma region.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for preparing migration imaging members are disclosed. Two substrates with softenable layers applied to them travel through a vacuum chamber where they are simultaneously exposed to vapor deposition of the migration marking material. After the migration marking material is deposited, the two softenable layers are laminated together in the same vacuum chamber to form the migration imaging member. In one of the embodiments, the softenable layers are applied to the substrates in the same sweep of the substrate through the vacuum chamber vapor deposition and lamination steps.

Abstract: The invention is embodied in an inductively coupled plasma reactor including a vacuum chamber for holding a wafer in the interior thereof and capable of containing a plasma gas, and having an RF antenna and an RF power source for supplying RF power to the RF antenna and apparatus for electrically isolating the RF antenna from the RF power source so as to reduce capacitive coupling therebetween. Preferably, the apparatus for isolating the antenna is a transformer having a primary winding connected across the RF power source and a secondary winding connected across the RF antenna. Preferably, the reactor further includes a conductive Faraday shield having plural layers, the Faraday shield being disposed between the RF antenna and the ceiling of the vacuum chamber, the Faraday shield having eddy current-suppressing apertures in each layer thereof facing conductive portions of the shield in an adjacent layer thereof. The ceiling of the vacuum chamber acts as a gas distribution manifold.

Abstract: A thin film deposition apparatus for use in a semiconductor manufacturing process or the like, is provided to, in particular, deposit a diffusion barrier thin film onto a substrate having a concave portion with a relatively high aspect ratio (hereinafter referred to as a contact hole). In the thin film deposition apparatus, a small surface and point source or a ring-shaped source is employed, evaporation is performed under such a condition that the Knudsen number K.sub.n =.lambda./H (a ratio of a mean free path .lambda. of an evaporation material particle to a distance (H) between the evaporation source and the substrate) becomes 0.1 or more, and a relation of the substrate and the evaporation source is set according to the aspect ratio of the contact hole, resulting in deposition of the thin film with good coverage on a bottom surface of the contact hole.

Abstract: A film forming apparatus such as a sputtering apparatus, a vacuum evaporation apparatus, or a CVD apparatus, having a film forming substrate and a film forming source both arranged within a film forming chamber, for forming a thin film on the film forming substrate. This film forming apparatus has within the film forming chamber a apparatus part other than the film forming substrate on which a component of the film forming source, e.g., a target, is deposited. At least on the surface of the apparatus part on which the component of the film forming source is deposited is composed of a material whose thermal expansion coefficient is equal or close to that of the thin film to be formed. Even if the component of the film forming source forms a deposition on the apparatus part other than the film forming substrate, the separation of such a deposition due to a thermal stress can be controlled because the thermal expansion coefficients of the deposition and apparatus part are equal or close to each other.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for removing particulate contaminants from an electrostatic chuck pedestal for a semiconductor workpiece by physical removal employing a soft material workpiece or by creating a plasma sheath which suspends the contaminants from the chuck surface and entrains them in the gas stream of the chamber vacuum exhaust system of the chamber. The contaminant removal processes are particularly effective in continuous plasma processes for the treatment of workpieces.

Abstract: A method for treatment of products in gas-discharge plasma consists in that a two-step vacuum-arc discharge is initiated between an anode (3) and an integrally cold cathode (2), featuring a metal-gaseous step of plasma and a gaseous step of plasma. The gaseous step of plasma is established by ionizing the working gas with electrons separated from the metal-gaseous step of plasma. Then a product (5) under treatment is preheated to working temperature and held in a preset temperature range. To this end, provision is made in the device for a means (13) for electron separation from the metal-gaseous step of plasma, which means is situated in the zone of the integrally cold cathode (2) and is impermeable to the metal ions generated by the cathode (2). In a particular case the means (13) is made as a set of V-shaped plates (14).

Abstract: An apparatus for the surface treatment of a metal workpiece which involves-the generation between a major exposed portion of an anode and successive restricted areas of a first surface of the workpiece serving as a cathode, a vacuum arc discharge having an arc current which is not substantially less than 50 amp. and having a positive voltage-current gradient.

Abstract: A rectangular vacuum-arc plasma source and associated apparatus for generating and directing a stream of plasma containing an ionized vapor of a cathode material toward a substrate by vacuum arc evaporation of a rectangular planar cathode mounted in a rectangular plasma duct. The rectangular duct conducts the plasma from the cathode to the substrate region, while intercepting the molten droplets of cathode material also generated by the arc. Magnets control the arc motion on the cathode surface while simultaneously generating the magnetic field which guides the plasma through the duct. Benefits of a filtered cathodic arc (fully ionized vapor stream, elimination of splattered droplets) are combined with the benefits of a rectangular source (uniform evaporation from the source and uniform deposition on the substrate using linear motion). The rectangular source may be extended indefinitely in length, thus allowing coating or ion implantation on large or long substrates.

Abstract: A plasma vapor deposition apparatus which can form high-quality films of ITO, for example, with high productivity, includes a vapor deposition chamber, a drive and a horizontally rotating circular holding plate connected to the drive located in a lower portion of the chamber, the circular holding plate having a circular vapor source material mounting centered at the rotational axis about which the plate is rotated by the drive, and coil-shaped electrodes for exciting vapor produced by evaporating the vapor source material. A film thickness correcting plate is interposed between the holding plate and the path along which the substrate is transported through the chamber by a transporting device. This plate is configured to so shield a portion of the substrate so that an excess of excited vapor particles do not accumulate at a given site on the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for coating a plastic web with dielectric coatings formed in-situ by the reaction of a reactive gas with deposited metal as the web passes over lower and upper arrays of rollers in a vacuum chamber. The lower rollers are in a lower-pressure zone at which metal is deposited onto the web by vaporization, and the upper rollers are in a higher-pressure zone where the reactive gas reacts with the deposited metal. The reactive gas can be excited by a magnetron. The rollers of one array can be lower than other rollers thereof and be larger than rollers of the other array such that curvature of the web as it passes around the larger rollers is minimized.

Abstract: Ultraviolet (UV) light from a lamp or UV laser, such as a metal can short arc xenon lamp or excimer laser, respectively, is provided for cracking Group V and Group VI species comprising clusters (dimers and tetramers) or metal-organic molecules to form monomers (atoms). The UV radiation interacts with a molecular beam of Group V and Group VI species subsequent to their generation in a source cell and thermal cracking. The source cell may comprise an effusion source in molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) apparatus, a thermal cracker cell in gas-source MBE apparatus, or a gas injector cell in metal-organic MBE apparatus (MOMBE). Light from the UV lamp or laser is coupled into a vacuum chamber in which the source cell is located, at a point below the source cell and is then directed along a path parallel to the source cell by a first reflector and finally directed onto the thermally-cracked beam of molecules by a second reflector, where the UV radiation photo-cracks the molecular beam.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for vapor deposition of a thin metallic film utilizing an ionized gas arc directed onto a source material spaced from a substrate to be coated in a substantial vacuum while providing a pressure differential between the source and the substrate so that as a portion of the source is vaporized the vapors are carried to the substrate. The apparatus includes a modified tungsten arc welding torch having a hollow electrode through which a gas, preferably inert, flows and an arc is struck between the electrode and the source. The torch, source and substrate are confined within a chamber within which a vacuum is draw. When the arc is struck, a portion of the source is vaporized and the vapors flow rapidly toward the substrate. A reflecting shield is positioned about the torch above the electrode and the source to ensure that the arc is struck between the electrode and the source at startup.

Abstract: An apparatus for treating substrates, in particular for applying a protective layer to the surface of optical reflectors (17) in a microwave-generated gas-supported plasma (16), which comprises a vacuum bell jar (1, 2), which is preferably of drum-type design and has a gas inlet (6), for receiving the substrates (17) to be treated. The vacuum bell jar has a passage window (7) sealed by a quartz-glass pane (8) or the like, for the microwave energy generated by a generator (11) disposed outside the bell jar (1, 2). The microwave energy is injected into the interior of the bell jar (1, 2) by a microwave aerial (12) adjoining the window (7).

Abstract: Chemical reactions of superconducting raw materials with active oxygen atoms and their charged particles are accelerated by using at least oxygen plasma in the fabrication process of a superconductive body. Thereby an ionic crystal is grown in a short time, which provides stable superconducting materials of high quality such as high critical temperature and low resistivity. In another aspect, a substrate is irradiated simultaneously with streams of vapor of metal elements, of which a superconductive body is to be composed, and a stream of gas of ions generated in a plasma chamber and film growth is effected while keeping the substrate at a temperature higher than 400.degree. C. to produce a ceramic type superconductive thin film.

Abstract: A cathodic arc metal deposition apparatus that prevents the deposition of metal droplets with the metal ions being deposited. The cathode has an annular configuration. An annular solenoidal magnet is positioned adjacent to the cathode with their central openings in alignment. The opening diameters and spacings of the cathode and magnet is such that no line of sight exists between the cathode and a target to be coated. Preferably, the arc is initiated between the cathode and an annular anode located around the cathode, separated from the cathode by an insulating layer. The arc is initiated by a high voltage pulse formed between a trigger electrode ring within the cathode opening and the cathode. In an alternative embodiment, a plurality of individual cathodes are positioned in a circle in place of the single ring electrode. The anode may surround the set of cathodes, or may be a screen between the cathodes and the magnet. A multi-screen extractor is preferably provided to direct ions toward the target.

Abstract: The invention relates to a vacuum coating installation comprising a container (9) in which is disposed the material (10) to be vaporized, for example SiO. The vaporization of the material (10) herein takes place by means of an electron beam gun (11) or by means of a vaporization oven. Opposing the surface of the material to be vaporized (10) is provided a synthetic film (5) to be coated which is transported further by means of a transport arrangement (4, 6, 22 to 27). Into the space between the material (10) to be vaporized and the material (5) to be coated a microwave is irradiated from an horn antenna (13).

Abstract: A vacuum arc deposition device comprising a vacuum vessel with a vacuum arc evaporation source disposed in the vacuum vessel, a plurality of arc current introduction portions are disposed to the vacuum arc evaporation source along with a plurality of arc discharge power sources for supplying arc electric power correspondingly to the plurality of arc current introduction portions. The vacuum arc vapor deposition device provides a large evaporation area and a high film formation rate.