Method of synthesizing a plurality of reactants and producing thin films of electro-optically active transition metal oxides

Claim 1

A method of synthesizing thin films of electro-optically active transition metal oxides from a plurality of reactants in a reaction chamber, said process comprising the steps of: (a) inserting a first reactant into said chamber; (b) imparting second transition metal-bearing and third oxygen-bearing reactants into said chamber, the vapor pressures of said first, second and third reactants being effective for establishing a system pressure substantially less than atmospheric pressure; and (c) inducing a plasma reaction among said reactants by plasma deposition, which plasma reaction consolidates said reactants, oxidizes said transition metal-bearing reactants and produces said thin films of electro-optically active transition metal oxides.

Claim 2

A method of synthesizing thin films of electro-optically active transition metal oxides from a plurality of reactants in a reaction chamber, said process comprising the steps of: (a) inserting a first reactant into said chamber; (b) imparting second transition metal-bearing and third oxygen-bearing reactants into said chamber, the vapor pressures of said first, second and third reactants being effective for establishing a system pressure substantially less than atmospheric pressure; and (c) inducing a plasma reaction among said reactants by plasma deposition, which plasma reaction consolidates said reactants, oxidizes said transition metal-bearing reactants and produces said thin films of electro-optically active transition metal oxides.

Claim 10

A method of synthesizing thin films of electro-optically active transition metal oxides from argon, tungsten hexafluoride and oxygen gases in a reaction chamber, said chamber having a base pressure, said chamber further having a primary input, secondary inputs and an output, said output being secured to a pump through which gases are withdrawn from said chamber, said secondary inputs comprising a pressure measuring apparatus and a power supply for supplying power to the reaction chamber, said power supply including means for adjusting said power supplied to said chamber, said process comprising the steps of: (a) inserting argon gas into said chamber; (b) imparting tungsten hexafluoride and oxygen gases into said chamber, said gases having vapor pressures effective for establishing a system pressure substantially less than atmospheric pressure; and (c) inducing a plasma reaction among said gases, which plasma reaction consolidates said gases, oxidizes said tungsten hexafluoride, and produces thin films of electrooptically active tungsten trioxide.

Claim 11

A method of synthesizing thin films of electro-optically active transition metal oxides from argon, tungsten hexafluoride and oxygen gases in a reaction chamber, said chamber having a base pressure, said chamber further having a primary input, secondary inputs and an output, said output being secured to a pump through which gases are withdrawn from said chamber, said secondary inputs comprising a pressure measuring apparatus and a power supply for supplying power to the reaction chamber, said power supply including means for adjusting said power supplied to said chamber, said process comprising the steps of: (a) inserting argon gas into said chamber; (b) imparting tungsten hexafluoride and oxygen gases into said chamber, said gases having vapor pressures effective for establishing a system pressure substantially less than atmospheric pressure; and (c) inducing a plasma reaction among said gases, which plasma reaction consolidates said gases, oxidizes said tungsten hexafluoride, and produces thin films of electrooptically active tungsten trioxide.