US4867859A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for forming a thin film
Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
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Filing: 1987-08-04
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Granted: 1989-09-19
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Expires: 2007-08-04
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for forming a thin film on a substrate has a first reaction chamber in which a thin film is formed by gaseous discharge and a second reaction chamber in which reactive atoms are generated. The first and second reaction chambers commuicate with one another through an orifice in the first reaction chamber. The first reaction chamber houses a device for generating a film on a substrate, and the second reaction chamber houses a device for generating reactive atoms. The orifice is disposed in the vicinity of both a film-forming region in the first reaction chamber and a reactive atom-generating region in the second reaction chamber so that reactive atoms from the second reaction chamber will pass through the orifice and enter the film-forming region in the first reaction chamber, combine with particles in the film-forming region to form a chemical compound, and accumulate on the substrate. In preferred embodiments, the reaction chambers are formed by a single housing having a partition which has an orifice therein and which divides the housing into two reaction chambers.
Inventors
- 👤 Shigeru Harada
- 👤 Takeshi Noguchi
- 👤 Hiroshi Mochizuki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 12:57
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/0021; C23C14/0036; C23C14/22; C23C14/24; C23C14/32
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
190 words
A film-forming apparatus comprising: a first reaction chamber; a second reaction chamber communicating with said first reaction chamber through an orifice formed in said first reaction chamber; film-forming means for forming a thin film on a substrate in said first reaction chamber, said film-forming means creating a film-forming region in the vicinity of said substrate in said first reaction chamber containing particles capable of combining with a reactive element to form a chemical compound; and reactive atom generating means for generating reactive atoms in said second reaction chamber, said reactive atom generating means creating a reactive atom generating region containing reactive atoms capable of combining with said particles in said film-forming region, said orifice being located in the vicinity of said film-forming region in said first reaction chamber and said reactive atom generating region in said second reaction chamber, said reactive atom generating means comprising: an anode and a cathode disposed in said second reaction chamber opposing each other across a gap, said cathode containing a reactive element; a high-frequency power supply connected between said anode and said cathode; and means for introducing a gas into said second reaction chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
190 words
A film-forming apparatus comprising: a first reaction chamber; a second reaction chamber communicating with said first reaction chamber through an orifice formed in said first reaction chamber; film-forming means for forming a thin film on a substrate in said first reaction chamber, said film-forming means creating a film-forming region in the vicinity of said substrate in said first reaction chamber containing particles capable of combining with a reactive element to form a chemical compound; and reactive atom generating means for generating reactive atoms in said second reaction chamber, said reactive atom generating means creating a reactive atom generating region containing reactive atoms capable of combining with said particles in said film-forming region, said orifice being located in the vicinity of said film-forming region in said first reaction chamber and said reactive atom generating region in said second reaction chamber, said reactive atom generating means comprising: an anode and a cathode disposed in said second reaction chamber opposing each other across a gap, said cathode containing a reactive element; a high-frequency power supply connected between said anode and said cathode; and means for introducing a gas into said second reaction chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
61 words
A film-forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first and second reaction chamber are formed from a single housing having a partition which divides it into two compartments, one of which serves as said first reaction chamber and the other of which serves as said second reaction chamber, said orifice being an orifice which is formed in said partition.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
A film-forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said film-forming means comprises a sputtering device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
A film-forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said film-forming means comprises an ion plating device.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A film-forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said film-forming means comprises a vacuum deposition device.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A film-forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said film-forming means comprises an ion beam sputtering device.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
A film-forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said film-forming means comprises an ion beam vapor deposition device.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
A film-forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said film-forming means comprises a cluster ion beam vapor deposition device.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
A film-forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said film-forming means comprises a molecular beam epitaxy apparatus.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4572842A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-09-18 | 1993-03-20 | 1993-09-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-09-18 | 1997-03-20 | 1997-09-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-09-18 | 2001-03-20 | 2001-09-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |