US4649059A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Photoionization technique for growth of metallic films
Assignee: United States Department of the Air Force
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Filing: 1985-05-29
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Granted: 1987-03-10
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Expires: 2005-05-29
Abstract
Abstract A novel method and system for depositing films of selected metallic or semiconductor materials, and particularly of the group III, IV, and V elements, is described which comprises heating a halide compound of the material to produce vapor within a substantially closed chamber, irradiating the vapor with light of preselected wavelength to dissociatively photoionize the vapor into the constituent positive ions of the material and negative halogen ions, and subjecting the photoionized vapor to an electric field to selectively remove the positive ions of the material for plating as a film.
Inventors
- 👤 James G. Eden
- 👤 David B. Geohegan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 11:32
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W70/00; H10W70/01; H10W70/05; C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/44; C23C16/48; C23C16/483; C23C16/50; C23C16/505; C23C16/509; C23C16/5096; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; H10P14/24; H10P14/29; H10P14/2901; H10P14/2923; H10P14/34; H10P14/3402; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/935
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
98 words
A method for producing a thin film of a material, comprising the steps of: a. providing a halogen compound of said material; b. heating said halogen compound within a substantially closed chamber to produce a vapor of said halogen compound; c. irradiating said halogen compound vapor with light of preselected wavelength to dissociatively photoionize said vapor into the constituent positive ions of said material and negative halogen ions; and d. generating an electric field within said irradiated vapor to selectively remove said positive ions of said material from said vapor for plating as said film of said material.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
98 words
A method for producing a thin film of a material, comprising the steps of: a. providing a halogen compound of said material; b. heating said halogen compound within a substantially closed chamber to produce a vapor of said halogen compound; c. irradiating said halogen compound vapor with light of preselected wavelength to dissociatively photoionize said vapor into the constituent positive ions of said material and negative halogen ions; and d. generating an electric field within said irradiated vapor to selectively remove said positive ions of said material from said vapor for plating as said film of said material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said electric field is generated as a substantially uniform electric field within said vapor irradiated by said light.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method as recited in claim 2 including a cathode and an anode between which said substantially uniform electric field is generated, said cathode comprising a substrate for supporting said plated film.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said material is selected from the group consisting of indium, thallium, aluminum, gallium, silver, tin, germanium, silicon, bismuth, antimony, phosphorus, arsenic, zinc, cadmium, gold, nickel, and iron.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said halogen compound is an iodide of said material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said light has a preselected wavelength in the range of from about 150 to about 250 nanometers.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
113 words
A system for producing a thin film of a material, comprising: a. a substantially closed chamber; b. a supply of a halogen compound of said material within said chamber; c. means for heating said halogen compound to produce a vapor of said halogen compound within said chamber; d. a source of light of preselected wavelength for irradiating said vapor to dissociatively photoionize said vapor into the constituent positive ions of said material and negative halogen ions; and e. means for generating an electric field within said vapor irradiated by light from said source to selectively remove said positive ions of said material from said vapor for plating as said film of said material.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
113 words
A system for producing a thin film of a material, comprising: a. a substantially closed chamber; b. a supply of a halogen compound of said material within said chamber; c. means for heating said halogen compound to produce a vapor of said halogen compound within said chamber; d. a source of light of preselected wavelength for irradiating said vapor to dissociatively photoionize said vapor into the constituent positive ions of said material and negative halogen ions; and e. means for generating an electric field within said vapor irradiated by light from said source to selectively remove said positive ions of said material from said vapor for plating as said film of said material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system as recited in claim 7 wherein said electric field is a substantially uniform electric field within said vapor irradiated by said light.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system as recited in claim 7 wherein said means for generating an electric field includes a cathode and anode, said cathode comprising a substrate for supporting said plated film.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system as recited in claim 7 wherein said material comprises an element selected from the group consisting of indium, thallium, aluminum, gallium, silver, tin, germanium, silicon, bismuth, antimony, phosphorus, arsenic, zinc, cadmium, gold, nickel, and iron.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system as recited in claim 7 wherein said halogen compound is an iodide of said material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system as recited in claim 7 wherein said source of light is a laser.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system as recited in claim 7 wherein said source of light is a xenon arc lamp.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system as recited in claim 7 wherein said source of light is a deuterium lamp.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system as recited in claim 7 wherein said light has a preselected wavelength in the range of from about 150 to about 250 nanometers.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-03-09 | 1990-09-08 | 1991-03-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-03-09 | 1994-09-08 | 1995-03-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-03-09 | 1998-09-08 | 1999-03-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |