US4483725A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Reactive vapor deposition of multiconstituent material
Assignee: Nokia Bell Labs
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Filing: 1982-09-30
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Granted: 1984-11-20
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Expires: 2002-09-30
Abstract
Abstract The low temperature method for depositing multiconstituent material on a substrate uses at least two ballistic particle streams that are caused to intersect in a volume of space proximate to the substrate. One particle stream, the "gas" stream, comprises excited neutral particles, and the other particle stream, the "metal" stream, consists substantially of a particle species capable of chemically reacting with the excited neutrals. The excited neutrals are typically produced in a RF-generated plasma or by means of photon excitation, the source of the metal stream is typically an evaporator or a Knudsen cell. Charged particles can be removed from the gas stream by means of magnetic and/or electric fields, and their removal typically advantageously affects the electrical properties of the deposits. The method has broad applicability, and can be used, for instance, to deposit high quality stoichiometric oxide or nitride films on silicon, germanium, III-V or II-VI semiconductors, metals, or insulators, as well as to deposit doped or layered multiconstituent films. Because deposition can take place at very low substrate temperatures, generally between about 30° C. and 250° C., a patterned deposit can be produced by deposition onto a resist-masked substrate, followed by, removal of the resist by, e.g., lift-off.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert P. H. Chang
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 13:55
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/0021; C30; C30B; C30B33/00; C30B33/005
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
Method for producing an article, the article comprising at least at some time during its manufacture a multiconstituent first material overlying a second material substrate, the method comprising (a) forming the first material by directly, in a vacuum deposition chamber, concurrently at least a first particle stream and a second particle stream at the substrate, characterized in that: (b) the first particle stream comprises excited neutral particles, the excited neutral particle flux being a substantial fraction of the total particle flux of the first particle stream, (c) the second particle stream consists essentially of neutral particles capable of undergoing a chemical reaction involving the excited neutral particles, and (d) the two particle streams are caused to intersect in a volume of space proximate to the substrate, the "reaction region", whereby first material is formed and deposited on the substrate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
139 words
Method for producing an article, the article comprising at least at some time during its manufacture a multiconstituent first material overlying a second material substrate, the method comprising (a) forming the first material by directly, in a vacuum deposition chamber, concurrently at least a first particle stream and a second particle stream at the substrate, characterized in that: (b) the first particle stream comprises excited neutral particles, the excited neutral particle flux being a substantial fraction of the total particle flux of the first particle stream, (c) the second particle stream consists essentially of neutral particles capable of undergoing a chemical reaction involving the excited neutral particles, and (d) the two particle streams are caused to intersect in a volume of space proximate to the substrate, the "reaction region", whereby first material is formed and deposited on the substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
Method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is maintained at a temperature less than about 250° C.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
Method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the particle streams comprises a flux of dopant particles.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
Method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the particle streams is a substantially elemental particle stream.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
Method of claim 1, wherein the excited neutral particle flux is at least 10% of the total particle flux of the first particle stream.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
Method of claim 5 wherein substantially no charged particles are present in the first particle stream upon entering into the reaction region.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
Method of claim 1, wherein the first particle stream is produced by means comprising plasma generating means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
Method of claim 7, wherein the plasma generating means comprise means for directing electromagnetic radiation into a plasma generating region.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
11 words
Method of claim 8, wherein the electromagnetic radiation is laser radiation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
Method of claim 7, wherein the plasma generating means comprise means for impressing a time varying electrical potential across a plasma generating region.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
Method of claim 1, wherein the second particle stream is produced by means comprising evaporating means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
Method of claim 1, wherein at least the first particle stream is exposed to a magnetic field, whereby at least a substantial part of the charged particles in the beam are removed therefrom.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
Method of claim 12, wherein the magnetic field direction is substantially parallel to the first particle stream direction.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
Method of claim 12, wherein the magnetic field direction is substantially perpendicular to the first particle stream direction.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
Method of claim 1, wherein the second material substrate is a material selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium, III-V semiconductors, II-VI semiconductors, metals, and insulators.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
Method of claim 1, wherein the first elemental particle stream consists essentially of gas particles.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
11 words
Method of claim 16, wherein the gas is a chemical element.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
Method of claim 17, wherein the element is oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine, or bromine.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
42 words
Method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a single crystal and wherein at least one preselected substrate region is masked, prior to deposition of first material onto the substrate, by means of a patterned layer of masking material overlying the substrate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
12 words
Method of claim 19, wherein the masking material is an organic resist.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
Method of claim 19, wherein, after deposition of first material onto the masked substrate, the masking material and the first material deposited thereon are removed from the substrate.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
Method of claim 21, wherein, after removal of the masking material and the first material deposited thereon from the substrate, further material is deposited onto the partially first-material-covered substrate.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
Method of claim 22, wherein the further material is deposited such that at least part of the material forms epitaxial material.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
52 words
Method of claim 1, wherein the concentration of at least one species of particles in the volume of space proximate to the substrate is changed at least once during the deposition of first material, thereby forming a deposit comprising at least two layers of material differing in chemical composition from each other.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
Method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is exposed, prior to deposition thereon first material, to a flux of particles.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
Method of claim 25, wherein the particle flux comprises hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine, HF, HCl, fluoro carbons or chloro-carbons.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
18 words
Method of claim 1, wherein the pressure in the deposition chamber is less than about 10 -4 Torr.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
14 words
Method of claim 27, wherein the pressure is less than about 10 -7 Torr.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
8 words
Article produced by the method of claim 1.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
8 words
Article of claim 29 comprising integrated electrical devices.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
23 words
Method of claim 1, wherein formation of the first material is monitored by observation of characteristic electromagnetic radiation emitted from the reaction region.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
37 words
Method of claim 31, wherein the intensity of the emitted electromagnetic radiation is compared to a predetermined standard value of intensity, and at least one particle stream is adjusted in response to the result of the comparison.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
107 words
Method for depositing a layer of multiconstituent material on a substrate, the method comprising (a) directing a multiplicity of particle streams to intersect in a volume of space proximate to the substrate, the "reaction region", at least one of the particle streams comprising excited neutral particles, and at least one further particle stream consisting essentially of neutral particles capable of undergoing a chemical reaction involving the excited neutral particles, (b) detecting characteristic electromagnetic radiation emitted from the reaction region, (c) comparing the detected radiation intensity to a predetermined value of intensity, and (d) adjusting at least one process parameter in response to the result of the comparison.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
107 words
Method for depositing a layer of multiconstituent material on a substrate, the method comprising (a) directing a multiplicity of particle streams to intersect in a volume of space proximate to the substrate, the "reaction region", at least one of the particle streams comprising excited neutral particles, and at least one further particle stream consisting essentially of neutral particles capable of undergoing a chemical reaction involving the excited neutral particles, (b) detecting characteristic electromagnetic radiation emitted from the reaction region, (c) comparing the detected radiation intensity to a predetermined value of intensity, and (d) adjusting at least one process parameter in response to the result of the comparison.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-11-20 | 1988-05-21 | 1988-11-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-11-20 | 1992-05-21 | 1992-11-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-11-20 | 1996-05-21 | 1996-11-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |