Abstract: A thin film forming method which comprises the steps of supporting a substrate to be treated, having a trench or an unevenness thereon, in a reaction vessel; introducing a reactive gas into the reaction vessel; activating the reactive gas to form a deposit species, the deposit species characterized by a phase diagram including a liquid phase region defined by a melting curve and an evaporation curve that intersect at a triple point; and forming a thin film containing at least a part of the deposit species on the substrate while retaining a pressure in the reaction vessel higher than the triple point of the phase diagram of the deposit species, and retaining a temperature of the substrate within the liquid phase region of the phase diagram of the deposit species.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for curing a hydrogen silsesquioxane coating material to form SiO.sub.2 by first placing the coating material in a preheated furnace; igniting a plasma ignited in the furnace immediately after insertion of the coating material therein; then raising the temperature of the furnace up to a predetermined curing temperature, while still maintaining the plasma in the chamber; maintaining the coating material at the curing temperature until substantially all of the coating material has cured to form SiO.sub.2 ; and then extinguishing the plasma and cooling the furnace. In another embodiment, the coating material is cured, with or without the assistance of heat and a plasma, in an ultrahigh vacuum, i.e., a vacuum of at least 10.sup.-5 Torr or better, and preferably at least 10.sup.-6 Torr or better.

Abstract: A tabular diamond crystal is formed on a substrate by gas phase synthesis, wherein the diamond crystal has a ratio of thickness to width of from 1:4 to 1:1,000 and the surface of the substrate on which the diamond crystal has been formed and the top surface of the diamond crystal are at an angle ranging from 0.degree. to 10.degree..

Abstract: A method for reaction bonding surfaces at low temperatures in which polished and cleaned surfaces are bombarded with a mixture of oxygen and fluorine ions to produce activated surfaces. The activated surfaces are then cleaned to remove particulates, then contacted at room temperature to affect a reaction bond therebetween. The bond energy of the reaction bonded surfaces increase with time at room temperature. The rate at which the bond energy of the reaction bonded surfaces increases may be enhanced by moderate heating at a low temperature below a temperature which would be detrimental to any part of the reaction bonded structure. A satisfactory bond energy for silicon wafers can be achieved in four hours at room temperature and in less than 10 minutes at 50.degree. C.

Abstract: High quality silicon nitride thin films can be deposited by plasma CVD onto large area glass substrates at high deposition rates by adjusting the spacing between the gas inlet manifold and substrate, maintaining the temperature at about 300.degree.-350.degree. C., and a pressure of at least 0.8 Torr. Subsequently deposited different thin films can also be deposited in separate chemical vapor deposition chambers which are part of a single vacuum system.

Abstract: An amorphous silicon thin film is disclosed, which is produced by plasma CVD in which hydrogen-diluted SiH.sub.4 and N.sub.2 O are supplied during chemical vapor deposition as reacting source gases for the chemical vapor deposition, wherein the degree of hydrogen dilution is from 10 to 20.

Abstract: A thin film forming method comprises the steps of supporting a semiconductor substrate having a trench or an unevenness thereon in a reaction vessel; introducing a reactive gas into the vessel; activating the reactive gas to form a deposit species, the deposit species characterized by a phase diagram including a liquid phase region defined by a melting curve and an evaporation curve that intersect at a triple point; and forming a thin film containing at least part of the deposit species on the substrate while retaining a pressure in the vessel higher than the triple point of the phase diagram of the deposit species, and retaining a temperature of the substrate within the liquid phase region of the phase diagram of the deposit species.

Abstract: A process for forming a single crystal superconducting LnA.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7-x film, wherein Ln is at least one rare earth element and A is at least one alkaline earth element, is disclosed, which comprises simultaneously evaporating Ln, A and Cu in an atomic ratio of about 1:2:3 from discrete evaporation sources of Ln, A and Cu onto a heated substrate in a vacuum vessel while blowing an oxygen gas onto the substrate to form an oxygen-containing atmosphere, thereby forming the single crystal superconducting film on the substrate.

Abstract: A high pressure, high throughput, single wafer, semiconductor processing reactor is disclosed which is capable of thermal CVD, plasma-enhanced CVD, plasma-assisted etchback, plasma self-cleaning, and deposition topography modification by sputtering, either separately or as part of in-situ multiple step processing. The reactor includes cooperating arrays of interdigitated susceptor and wafer support fingers which collectively remove the wafer from a robot transfer blade and position the wafer with variable, controlled, close parallel spacing between the wafer and the chamber gas inlet manifold, then return the wafer to the blade. A combined RF/gas feed-through device protects against process gas leaks and applies RF energy to the gas inlet manifold without internal breakdown or deposition of the gas. The gas inlet manifold is adapted for providing uniform gas flow over the wafer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the formation of a class of nanocomposite amorphous materials consisting of interpenetrating random networks of predominantly sp3 bonded carbon stabilized by hydrogen, glass-like silicon stabilized by oxygen and random networks of elements from the 1-7b and 8 groups of the periodic table. The materials have high strength and microhardness, flexibility, low coefficient of friction and high thermal and chemical stability. Nanocomposites containing networks of metallic elements can have conductivity variable from insulating dielectric to metallic. The materials have a wide range of applications as protective coatings and as electrically active materials. Metallic nanocomposites can exhibit superconductivity at low temperatures.

Abstract: The first fire voltage of chalcogenide-based switching devices is lowered to a value approximately equal to the threshold voltage by treatment of the chalcogenide material with fluorine either during or after deposition.

Abstract: A method of producing a magnetic recording medium comprises the steps of heating in vacuum a magnetic recording medium produced by forming a ferromagnetic metal-film-type recording medium onto a non-magnetic substrate and of forming, immediately after heating, a protective layer on the magnetic recording medium by a plasma CVD method. A production apparatus for carrying out this method comprises a feeding apparatus for feeding a magnetic recording medium with a ferromagnetic thin film formed on a non-magnetic substrate, a plasma CVD apparatus, disposed in the path of this feeding apparatus, for forming a protective layer, and a heating apparatus disposed just before this plasma CVD apparatus in the feeding path.

Abstract: Polymeric cyanoborane is volatilized, decomposed by thermal or microwave plasma energy, and deposited on a substrate as an amorphous film containing boron, nitrogen and carbon. Residual carbon present in the film is removed by ammonia treatment at an increased temperature, producing an adherent, essentially stoichiometric boron nitride film.

Abstract: There can be provided a novel and useful process for the synthesis of hard boron nitride consisting essentially of single phase cubic boron nitride by a gaseous phase synthesis technique, which comprises adding a F atom-containing gas to the gaseous phase or adding a F atom-containing gas and H atom-containing gas to the gaseous phase, whereby the codeposited hexagonal boron nitride can selectively be etched and hard boron nitride of substantially single phase can finally be synthesized.

Abstract: In order to enable formation of a smooth and dense oxide superconducting film with no clear appearance of grain boundaries in a fine structure even at a high film forming rate, a laser ablation method is employed to apply a laser beam 2 to a target 1 containing components of an oxide superconductive material and deposit particles, which are thus scattered from the target 1, on a substrate 3, while gaseous oxygen is supplied from a gaseous oxygen inlet 7 toward laser plume 6, which is generated by the application of the laser beam 2, and to a portion of the target irradiated with said laser.

Abstract: A method for preparing silicon nitride films with improved properties and characterized by a limited concentration of hydrogen atoms, a high index of refraction, resistance to attack by a hydrofluoric solution, prevention of diffusion of alkalines and oxygen, and good dielectric properties such as optical gap. The process of preparation uses plasma CVD with ammonia. The invention can be applicable to flat screens, TFT transistors and functional glazings.

Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition method for forming a fluorine-containing silicon oxide film comprises introducing a gaseous mixture of alkoxysilane or its polymers as a source gas with fluoroalkoxysilane added thereto into a reaction chamber and performing decomposition of the gaseous mixture to deposit the fluorine-containing silicon oxide film onto a substrate. During the formation of the fluorine-containing silicon oxide film, at least one of compounds containing phosphorus or boron such as organic phosphorus compounds and organic boron compounds may be evaporated and introduced into said gaseous mixture, thereby adding at least one of phosphorus and boron to said fluorine-containing silicon oxide film. The fluorine-containing oxide film may be formed by effecting the decomposition of the gaseous mixture in the presence of ozone gas, or under ultraviolet radiation, or gas plasma.

Abstract: Interlevel gaps between closely spaced circuit elements, such as closely spaced metal interconnect lines, are filed using a biased electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) deposition process. The gaps between circuit elements may be separated by distances of less than 0.6 microns and the gaps can have aspect rations in excess of 2.0. To fill such gaps between the circuit elements on a semiconductor wafer, the wafer is mounted in an ECR reaction chamber. A continuing flow of oxygen (O.sub.2) and silane (SiH.sub.4) gas is introduced into the ECR system's plasma and reaction chambers, respectively, while applying a microwave excitation so as to generate a plasma. High deposition rates and low film stress are achieved by controlling the flow of oxygen and silane so as to maintain an oxygen to silane gas flow ratio of less than 1.5.

Abstract: A two-stage microwave plasma CVD process is disclosed for making a CVD diamond material, substantially free of voids, which has an average crystallite size greater than about 15 microns, a maximum intensity of the diamond Raman peak in counts/sec divided by the intensity of photoluminescence at 1270 cm.sup.-1 greater than about 3, a Raman sp.sup.3 full width half maximum less than about 6 cm.sup.-1 and a diamond-to-graphite Raman ratio greater than about 25.

Abstract: A plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition method is provided for depositing an oxide film onto a substrate surface. Deposition is achieved even onto a surface of a glass or other relatively non-receptive substrate. A sub-film is deposited under plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition conditions more strongly favoring deposition, followed by deposition of the desired oxide film under second plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition conditions less strongly favoring deposition. High quality oxide films can be achieved by deposition at second plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition conditions only marginally favoring deposition over etching.

Abstract: An actively cooled effuser for a vapor deposition reactor is placed in very close proximity to a substrate. The actively cooled effuser has combinations of gas directing plates, cooling plates and isolation plates attached together. Reactants and coolant are input into the stack of plates so formed. Selective heating of the substrate surface may occur through the use of heating lamps. Multiple units of the actively cooled effuser and heating lamps may be used in the reactor to form multiple layers on the substrate. The cooling plate has a cooling channel within a few thousandths of an inch of the output side of the stack. The presence of the cooling plates allows the effuser to be placed in very close proximity to the selectively heated substrate.

Abstract: To provide large-surface substrates economically and in a short time, with coatings which are to be more impenetrable and more homogeneous than conventionally produced coatings, a plasma CVD process is employed in which a reaction gas capable of depositing a coating material therefrom flows over the surface to be coated and the reaction gas is excited into a band-shaped plasma by microwaves fed from two microwave feeds, in a device comprising end walls (2, 3) and a waveguide (1) with a square cross-section in which two standing waves polarized perpendicular to one another are excited and are shifted relative to one another by one-quarter wavelength, the coupling of the microwaves to the plasma being performed by a lengthwise slit (6) made in one of the edges of waveguide (1), with two crossed microwave polarizers (4, 5) being positioned in waveguide (1), such that each polarizer can be penetrated by the microwaves from the feed (7, 8) adjacent thereto and cannot be penetrated by the microwaves from the feed (

Abstract: A processing apparatus and method wherein a wafer is exposed to activated species generated by a first plasma which is separate from the wafer, but is in the process gas flow stream upstream of the wafer, and is also exposed to plasma bombardment generated by a second plasma which has a dark space which substantially adjoins the surface of the wafer. The in situ plasma is relatively low-power, so that the remote plasma can generate activated species, and therefore the in situ plasma power level can be adjusted to optimize the plasma bombardment. Ultraviolet light to illuminate the face of a wafer being processed is generated by a plasma which is within the vacuum chamber but is remote from the face of the wafer. It is useful to design the gas flow system such that the ultraviolet-generating plasma has its own gas feed, and the reaction products from the ultraviolet-generating plasma do not substantially flow or diffuse to the wafer face.

Abstract: A low-pressure chemical vapor deposition process is disclosed for creating high-density, highly-conformal titanium nitride films which have very low bulk resistivity, and which provide excellent step coverage. The process utilizes a metal-organic compound, tetrakis-dialkylamido-titanium Ti(NR.sub.2).sub.4, as the primary precursor, in combination with an activated species which attacks the alkyl-nitrogen bonds of the primary precursor, and which will convert the displaced alkyl groups into a volatile compound. Any noble gas, as well as nitrogen or hydrogen, or a mixture of two or more of the foregoing may be used as a carrier for the precursor. The activated species, which may include a halogen, NH.sub.3, or hydrogen radicals, or a combination thereof, are generated in the absence of the primary precursor, at a location remote from the deposition chamber. The wafer is heated to a temperature within a range of 200.degree.-600.degree. C.

Abstract: The invention relates to a plasma CVD method for the deposition of a thin film of amorphous silicon, or an amorphous silicon alloy, on a substrate by glow discharge decomposition of a raw material gas such as silane gas. The degradation of the photoconductivity of the obtained amorphous silicon film by irradiation with light is suppressed by mixing xenon gas with the raw material gas such that at the entrance to the reaction chamber the volume ratio of xenon gas to the raw material gas is not less than 1 and, preferably, not more than 30. A nearly comparable effect can be gained, and the material cost can be reduced, by mixing 1 part by volume of the raw material gas with 0.05 to 1 part of xenon gas and 5 to 30 parts of hydrogen gas.

Abstract: The present invention refers to coatings produced by means of the deposit of thin films formed by plasma-activated chemical vapor deposition of volatile fluoridated cyclic siloxanes having the structure [RR'SiO].sub.x, where R is an alkyl group with 1-6 carbon atoms, R' is a fluorinated alkyl group with 3-10 carbon atoms, the carbon in the alpha and beta positions with respect to the silicon atom is hydrogenated and x is 3 or 4. These particular coatings are useful because of their properties of protection and insulation.

Abstract: A method for the low temperature, microwave enhanced, chemical vacuum deposition of thin film material onto a surface of a hollow member by creating a sub-atmospheric pressure condition adjacent the surface to be coated while maintaining the applicator through which microwave energy is introduced at substantially atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: Transparent, refractory coatings and methods for their application to environmentally exposed substrates are disclosed. The coatings can be deposited over organic decorative materials, which generally prevent application of hard, protective, inorganic materials due to emission of exudates and vulnerability to excessive heat. The coatings are applied using plasma-enhanced chemical-vapor deposition techniques that reduce reaction temperatures and produce multilayer structures that seal organic exudates before a final layer of coating is applied, such multilayer protective coating structures being particularly suitable for protecting automobile bodies and the like against degrading external forces.

Abstract: Method of manufacturing polycrystalline diamond layers, in which diamond crystallites are deposited by means of Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) on a substrate heated to a temperature ranging between 450.degree. and 1200.degree. C. from a gas phase comprising hydrogen and .ltoreq.30% of a carbon-containing gas at a pressure ranging between 10.sup.-5 and 1 bar, in which method the substrate is contacted with a gas phase having an energy content which varies in time, such that at least at the start of the deposition process the substrate is in contact with a gas phase having an energy content which is suitable for nucleating diamond crystallites in the gas phase, whereafter the substrate is contacted with a gas phase having an energy content which is increased with respect to the content at the start of the process and further diamond crystallites are formed in situ on the substrate surface nucleated with diamond crystallites formed in the gas phase.

Abstract: Corona discharge treatment apparatus for treating or coating a surface of a conductive substrate includes a high voltage radio frequency power supply and a cable having a number of flexible conductors and other components. The cable has a first end connected to the power supply and a second end wherein the other cable components have been removed and the conductors extend from the remainder of the cable. The free ends of the conductors at the second end are disposed in a general non-parallel arrangement and the free end of each conductor is held in a separate insulator which extends beyond the free end it holds. Each free end is movable independently of the other free ends. The conductive substrate is held beneath the cable second end so that the upper surface is engaged by the insulators.

Abstract: A process for forming a high quality polycrystalline semiconductor film on an insulating substrate which comprises using a MW-PCVD apparatus comprising a plasma generation chamber provided with a microwave introducing means and a film-forming chamber connected through a grid electrode to said plasma generation chamber, said film-forming chamber containing said insulating substrate positioned on a substrate holder made of a conductive material being installed therein, producing plasma by contacting a film-forming raw material gas with a microwave energy applied through said microwave introducing means in said plasma generation chamber and introducing said plasma into said film-forming chamber while applying a high frequency voltage with a frequency in the range of from 20 to 500 MHz between said grid electrode and said substrate holder to thereby cause the formation of said polycrystalline semiconductor film on said insulating substrate maintained at a desired temperature.

Abstract: In a thin film deposition apparatus, a vapor generation source including a crucible containing a desposition material is disposed inside an ionization means, the crucible being disposed below a cathode filament. Since the upper section of the crucible is heated by the heat of the filament, the creeping up of a molten metal deposition material having a good wettability can be suppressed. Also, the temperature of a surrounding anode is maintained higher than the melting point of the deposition material because the crucible disposed in the ionization means is heated. Therefore, the deposition of the material onto the anode can be prevented.

Abstract: A microwave plasma rector is disclosed comprising a vacuum chamber, a microwave generator for generating a microwave standing wave therein, inlet and outlet ports, a susceptor within the chamber, at least one dielectric plate and a heater for heating the susceptor. The dielectric plate alters the shape of the produced plasma from a sphere to a short bulging cylinder. The modified plasma ball results in increased thickness uniformity of the deposited material.

Abstract: The present invention describes a CVD process to deposit a titanium film at a high deposition rate that has excellent uniformity and step coverage while avoiding gas phase nucleation and coating of the reactor chamber walls. The vapor of a heated liquid titanium source enters a modified, plasma enhanced, cold wall reaction chamber and is mixed with H.sub.2 as it reaches a wafer substrate surface. As the gas vapors reach the heated wafer substrate a chemical reaction of TiCl.sub.4 +2H.sub.2 .fwdarw.Ti+4HCl is triggered, thereby depositing a uniform titanium film upon the substrate surface. The deposition rate is further enhanced by the presence of rf plasma above the substrate's surface.