Method and apparatus for the production and utilization of activated molecular beams

Claim 3

The method of claim 1, characterized by introducing a second gas into said first chamber (10) to be activated in said continuous gas discharge.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1, characterized in that said step of creating said activated gas plasma comprises the steps of introducing into said source chamber (20) a gas selected from the group consisting of argon, helium, neon, krypton, and zenon; disposing a filament (21E) within said source chamber (20); supplying a DC electrical potential to said filament (21E) sufficient to sustain a gas'discharge in said selected gas; and supplying an AC current to said filament (21E) to heat said filament (21E) and initiate a gas discharge within said source chamber (20).

Claim 7

The method of claim 1, characterized in that said region of electrical potential difference in said first chamber (10) is adjacent said source chamber (20), and further including the steps of supplying a magnetic field of prearranged configuration within said first chamber (10) to selectively configure or direct said high velocity stream of activated gas plasma.

Claim 10

The method of claim 7, characterized in that said step of creating said activated plasma comprises the steps of: disposing a filament (21E) within said source chamber (20); supplying a DC.electrical potential to said filament (21E) sufficient to sustain a gas discharge within said source chamber (20); and supplying an AC electric current to said filament (21E) to heat said filament to initiate a gas discharge within said source chamber (20).

Claim 14

The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, characterized by means for supplying a preselected second gas to said working chamber (10) to be activated in said continuous gas discharge.

Claim 15

.The apparatus as claimed in any of claims 11 or 12, characterized by substrate holder means for holding a substrate (13) in said working chamber (10) in the vicinity of said continuous gas discharge within said activated plasma; and evaporation source means (40) disposed within said working chamber (10) for evaporating a preselected material onto a surface: of said substrate (13), Said evaporated material thereby reacting with at least one constituent of said activated plasma to determine the physical or chemical characteristics of a thin film formed on said substrate (13).

Claim 17

The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that said selected gas is selected from the group consisting of argon, helium, neon, krypton, zenon, hydrogen and nitrogen; and said means for activating said selected gas within said source.chamber (20) comprises a filament (21E) mounted within said source chamber (20) in the vicinity of said nozzle (22); means for supplying a DC electrical potential between said.filament (21E) and a wall of said source chamber (20) sufficient to sustain an electrical discharge in said selected gas thereat; and means for supplying an AC electrical current to said filament (21E) to heat said filament (21E) to initiate a gas discharge within said source chamber (20).

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 11, characterized in that said anode means (12) is disposed nearby said small aperture nozzle (22), and means for supplying a magnetic field within said working chamber (10) are provided to act upon said stream of activated gas molecules to selectively configure or direct said stream.

Claim 19

A vacuum deposition apparatus for reactively depositing a thin film coating on a substrate, which system includes a vacuum deposition chamber, an evaporation source disposed within said chamber, means for evacuating said chamber to a relatively low pressure, and means for holding a substrate within said vacuum deposition chamber characterized by: a substantially closed source chamber (80) mounted adjacent a wall (51) of said working chamber (50) opposite said substrate (76) and having a small-aperture nozzle (84) extending through said wall to communicate gas from said source chamber .(80) to said deposition chamber (50); means for supplying to said source chamber (80) a gas selected from the group consisting of argon, helium, neon, krypton, zenon, hydrogen and nitrogen at a pressure substantially greater than the pressure in said working chamber (50) to produce a high velocity stream of said gas entering said working chamber (50) through said nozzle (84) and directed at said substrate (76); means for activating said selected gas within said source chamber (80) before exiting through said nozzle (84) so that said high velocity stream comprises activated gas molecules; anode means (70) disposed within said working chamber (50) in the path of said stream of activated gas molecules and in the vicinity of said substrate (76) for producing a continuous gas discharge in said activated gas plasma; means for supplying a second preselected gas to said vacuum deposition chamber (50), said gas being adapted to be activated in said continuous gas discharge in the vicinity of said substrate (76) and to react with a preselected evaporation source material from said evaporation source means (60) to form a thin film of a predetermined compound on said substrate (76).

Claim 20

A vacuum deposition apparatus for reactively depositing a thin film coating on a substrate, which system includes a vacuum deposition chamber, an evaporation source disposed within said chamber, means for evacuating said chamber to a relatively low pressure, and means for holding a substrate within said vacuum deposition chamber characterized by: a substantially closed source chamber (80) mounted adjacent a wall (51) of said working chamber (50) opposite said substrate (76) and having a small-aperture nozzle (84) extending through said wall to communicate gas from said source chamber .(80) to said deposition chamber (50); means for supplying to said source chamber (80) a gas selected from the group consisting of argon, helium, neon, krypton, zenon, hydrogen and nitrogen at a pressure substantially greater than the pressure in said working chamber (50) to produce a high velocity stream of said gas entering said working chamber (50) through said nozzle (84) and directed at said substrate (76); means for activating said selected gas within said source chamber (80) before exiting through said nozzle (84) so that said high velocity stream comprises activated gas molecules; anode means (70) disposed within said working chamber (50) in the path of said stream of activated gas molecules and in the vicinity of said substrate (76) for producing a continuous gas discharge in said activated gas plasma; means for supplying a second preselected gas to said vacuum deposition chamber (50), said gas being adapted to be activated in said continuous gas discharge in the vicinity of said substrate (76) and to react with a preselected evaporation source material from said evaporation source means (60) to form a thin film of a predetermined compound on said substrate (76).

Claim 21

Apparatus as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that said means for activating said gas within said source chamber (80) comprises a filament (85) mounted within said source chamber (80) in the vicinity of said nozzle (84); means (100) for supplying a DC electrical potential between said filament (85) and a wall of said source chamber (80) in the vicinity of said nozzle (84), said DC electrical potential being of sufficient magnitude to sustain a gas discharge in said source chamber (80); and means for supplying an AC electric current to said filament (85) to heat said filament to initiate gas discharge within said source chamber (80).

Claim 22

Apparatus as claimed in claims 11 or 17, characterized in that said means for activating said gas within said source chamber (20, 80) comprises a radio frequency coil (21A) mounted within said source chamber (20, 80) in the vicinity of said nozzle (22, 84); means (21B) for supplying a radio frequency signal to said coil (21A) to initiate a gas discharge; and means (21B) for supplying a DC potential between said coil (21A) and said nozzle (22, 84) of sufficient magnitude to sustain said gas discharge.

Claim 23

Apparatus as claimed in claims 11 or 17, characterized in that said means for activating said gas within said source chamber (20, 80) comprises a spark electrode arrangement (21C) mounted within said chamber (20, 80) in the vicinity of said nozzle (22, 84); means (21D) for supplying a spark initiating voltage to said electrode arrangement (21C) to initiate a gas discharge; and means (21D) for supplying a DC potential to said electrode arrangement (21C) of sufficient magnitude to sustain said gas discharge.

Claim 26

The method of claim 21, characterized by selectively configuring said plasma beam into a beam of prearranged geometry and direction to impinge upon a selected target within said first chamber.(110.).

Claim 27

The method of claim 21, characterized by communicating a second gas into the plasma stream to be activated in said gas discharge region.

Claim 28

The method of claim 21, characterized by disposing within said first chamber (110) a volume of material to be heated; and creating a directing magnetic field within said first chamber (110) to direct said plasma beam onto said volume of material.

Claim 29

The method of claim 21, characterized by: disposing one or more substrates within said first chamber (110); and directing said plasma beam to impinge upon said substrates.

Claim 30

The method of claim 21, characterized by: disposing within said first chamber (110) an evaporation source material; disposing one or more substrates within said first- chamber (110) in a position opposite said evaporation source material; and directing said plasma beam onto said evaporation source material to evaporate'said material onto said substrates.

Claim 31

The method of claim 26, characterized in that for reactive deposition of a metal oxide evaporation source material, oxygen is communicated into the acti-. vated plasma stream to be activated in said gas discharge region.

Claim 34

The method of claim 28, characterized by communicating a selected second gas into said plasma confinement chamber (150) for activation of said second gas within said sustained gas discharge.

Claim 36

The apparatus of claim 30, characterized by means for supplying a selected second gas to said plasma confinement chamber (150) near said inlet end so that molecules of said second gas are activated in.said sustained gas discharge within said plasma confinement chamber (150).

Claim 38

The apparatus of claim 32, characterized in that a source of preselected material to be heated positioned within said working chamber .(110) and said directing means (170) comprises means (177) for directing said plasma beam onto said source.

Claim 39

The apparatus of claim 32, characterized in that said plasma confinement chamber (150) is located adjacent to a side -wall of said working chamber (110) intermediate a top and bottom wall (116, 111) thereof; a source material is positioned on said bottom wall (111) of said working chamber (110) and substrate positioning means (115) are provided within said working chamber (110) for positioning one or more substrates.in a region of said working chamber (110) above said source material and above said plasma confinement chamber (150); and said directing means comprises a first magnetic field generating means disposed in the path of said plasma beam entering said working chamber (110) to produce a directing magnetic field pattern within said working chamber (110) and second magnetic field creating means (170) positioned adjacent said crucible (165) and selectively operative to create within said working chamber (110) a magnetic field having a first field pattern cooperating with said directing magnetic field pattern to concentrate said plasma beam on said source material or a second field pattern to deflect said plasma beam to impinge on said substrate.

Claim 40

The apparatus of claim 34, characterized in that said first magnetic field generating means is an electromagnet coil (160) and gimbal mounting means (162) are provided for mounting said electromagnetic coil (160) in variable axial relation to said plasma beam.