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US5114770A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method for continuously forming functional deposited films with a large area by a microwave plasma cvd method

Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1990-06-26
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Granted: 1992-05-19
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Expires: 2010-06-26
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Abstract

Abstract A method for continuously forming a functional deposited film with a large area according to a microwave plasma CVD process is described. The method comprises the steps of continuously traveling a band-shaped member containing a conductive member along its length during which a pillar-shaped film-forming space capable of being kept substantially in vacuum therein is established by the use of the traveling band-shaped member as a side wall for the film-forming space, charging starting gases for film formation through a gas feed means into the film-forming space, and simultaneously radiating a microwave through a microwave antenna in all directions vertical to the direction of movement of the microwave so that microwave power is supplied to the film-forming space to initiate a plasma in the space whereby the film is deposited on the surface of the continuously traveling band-shaped member which constitutes the side wall exposed to the plasma. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also described.

Inventors

  • 👤 Hiroshi Echizen
  • 👤 Yasushi Fujioka
  • 👤 Katsumi Nakagawa
  • 👤 Masahiro Kanai
  • 👤 Toshimitsu Kariya
  • 👤 Jinsho Matsuyama
  • 👤 Tetsuya Takei

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 16:10
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32009; H01J37/32192; H01J37/32211; H01J37/3222; C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/44; C23C16/50; H01J37/32431; H01J37/32733; H01J37/32752; H01J37/32761; H01J37/3277; H10; H10F; H10F71/00; H10F71/10; H10F71/103; H10F71/107; H01J2237/00; H01J2237/32; H01J2237/33; H01J2237/332; H01J2237/3322; H01J2237/3325; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y02P; Y02P70/00; Y02P70/50

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim 153 words
A method for continuously forming a functional deposited film with a large area according to a microwave plasma CVD process, which method comprises the steps of: continuously traveling a band-shaped member containing a conductive member along its length during which a pillar-shaped film-forming space capable of being kept substantially in vacuum therein is established by the use of the traveling band-shaped member as a side wall for the film-forming space; charging starting gases for film formation through a gas feed means into the film-forming space; and simultaneously radiating a microwave in all directions through a microwave antenna which is extended into the pillar-shaped film forming space and is substantially parallel to said sidewall so that microwave power is supplied to the film-forming space to intiate a plasma in the space whereby the film is deposited on the surface of the continuously traveling band-shaped member which constitutes the side wall exposed to the plasma.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 153 words
A method for continuously forming a functional deposited film with a large area according to a microwave plasma CVD process, which method comprises the steps of: continuously traveling a band-shaped member containing a conductive member along its length during which a pillar-shaped film-forming space capable of being kept substantially in vacuum therein is established by the use of the traveling band-shaped member as a side wall for the film-forming space; charging starting gases for film formation through a gas feed means into the film-forming space; and simultaneously radiating a microwave in all directions through a microwave antenna which is extended into the pillar-shaped film forming space and is substantially parallel to said sidewall so that microwave power is supplied to the film-forming space to intiate a plasma in the space whereby the film is deposited on the surface of the continuously traveling band-shaped member which constitutes the side wall exposed to the plasma.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 72 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein on the way of the travel of the band-shaped member, said band-shaped member is curved by the use of a curve-initiating edge forming means and a curve-completing edge forming means while leaving a space extending along the length of said band-shaped means between the curve-initiating edge forming means and the curve-completing edge forming means, so that the side wall of the film-forming space is formed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 102 words
A method according to claim 2, wherein said band-shaped member is made of a material whose linear expansion coefficient is larger than that of said deposited film; while the curved band-shaped member is kept at a film-forming temperature higher than room temoerature, a film is deposited on the curved band-shaped member at a concave side thereof; and while cooling the band-shaped member to room temperature, said band-shaped member is developed flat at outside of the film-forming space and discharged to outside of the apparatus or said band-shaped member is wound up in a convex form and discharged to outside of the apparatus.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 66 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the film-forming space established by the side wall of the band-shaped member is in a pillar-shaped from and said microwave antenna means is extended into the film-forming space from one of opposite end faces of the pillar-shaped film-forming space so that said microwave antenna means is juxtaposed to the film-forming space to supply microwave power to the film-forming space.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 36 words
A method according to claim 4, wherein the microwave power is supplied from the microwave antenna means to the film-forming space through a microwave transmitting member provided between the microwave antenna means and the film-forming space.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 26 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein said microwave antenna means is separated from the plasma initiated in the film-forming space through the microwave transmitting member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 25 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein an outer diameter of the microwave transmitting-member is controlled depending on the complex dielectric constant of the plasma.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 163 words
A method for continuously forming a functional deposited film with a large area according to a microwave plasma CVD process, which method comprises the steps of: continuously traveling a band-shaped member containing a conductive member along its length during which a pillar-shaped film-forming space capable of being kept substantially in vacuum therein is established by the use of the traveling band-shaped member as a side wall for the film-forming space; charging starting gases for film formation through a gas feed means into the film-forming space; simultaneously radiating a microwave in all directions through a microwave antenna which is extended into the pillar-shaped film forming space and is substantially parallel to said sidewall so that microwave power is supplied to the film-forming space to initiate a microwave plasma in the space; and while controlling a plasma potential of the microwave plasma, forming a deposited film on the surface of the continuously traveling band-shaped member which constitutes the side wall exposed to the microwave plasma.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 163 words
A method for continuously forming a functional deposited film with a large area according to a microwave plasma CVD process, which method comprises the steps of: continuously traveling a band-shaped member containing a conductive member along its length during which a pillar-shaped film-forming space capable of being kept substantially in vacuum therein is established by the use of the traveling band-shaped member as a side wall for the film-forming space; charging starting gases for film formation through a gas feed means into the film-forming space; simultaneously radiating a microwave in all directions through a microwave antenna which is extended into the pillar-shaped film forming space and is substantially parallel to said sidewall so that microwave power is supplied to the film-forming space to initiate a microwave plasma in the space; and while controlling a plasma potential of the microwave plasma, forming a deposited film on the surface of the continuously traveling band-shaped member which constitutes the side wall exposed to the microwave plasma.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 72 words
A method according to claim 8, wherein on the way of the travel of the band-shaped member, said band-shaped member is curved by the use of a curve-initiating edge forming means and a curve-completing edge forming means while leaving a space extending along the length of said band-shaped means between the curve-initiating edge forming means and the curve-completing edge forming means, so that the side wall of the film-forming space is formed.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 102 words
A method according to claim 9, wherein said band-shaped member is made of a material whose linear expansion coefficient is larger than that of said deposited film; while the curved band-shaped member is kept at a film-forming temperature higher than room temperature, a film is deposited on the curved surface of a concave form which is continously formed by curving the band-shaped member; and when the band-shaped member is cooled down to room temperature at outside of the film-forming space, said band-shaped member is cooled by being developed or said band-shaped member is cooled by being wound up in a convex form.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 64 words
A method according to claim 8, wherein the film-forming space established by the side wall of the band-shaped member is in a pillar-shaped form and said microwave antenna means extended into the film-forming space one of opposite end faces of the pillar-shaped film-forming space so that said microwave antenna means is juxtaposed to the film-forming space to supply microwave power to the film-forming space.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 36 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein the microwave power is supplied from the microwave antenna means to the film-forming space through a microwave transmitting member provided between the microwave antenna means and the film-forming space.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 26 words
A method according to claim 12, wherein said microwave antenna means is separated from the plasma initiated in the film-forming space through the microwave transmitting member.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 22 words
A method according to claim 8, wherein said plasma potential is controlled through a bias applicator means separated from the band-shaped member.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 36 words
A method according to claim 14, wherein said bias applicator means is so arranged so that at least a part thereof contacts the microwave plasma, and a bias voltage is applied to said bias applicator means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 26 words
A method according to claim 15, wherein the at least a part of the bias applicator means which contacts the microwave plasma is made electrically conductive.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 18 words
A method according to claim 15, wherein the bias voltage is a DC, pulsating and /or AC voltage.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 20 words
A method according to claim 15, wherein said bias applicator means has also a function as the gas feed means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 20 words
A method according to claim 15, wherein said bias applicator means is provided to separate from said gas feed means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 24 words
A method according to claim 19, wherein said bias applicator means is constituted of a single bias bar or a plurality of bias bars.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 21 words
A method according to claim 8, wherein the plasma potential is controlled by the bias voltage applied to the band-shaped member.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 25 words
A method according to claim 21, wherein the gas feed means is grounded, at least a part of which is contacted with the microwave plasma.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 25 words
A method according to claim 22, wherein the at least a part of the gas feed means contacting the microwave plasma is made electrically conductive.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 26 words
A method according to claim 8, wherein an outer diameter of the microwave transmitting member is determined depending on the complex dielectric constant of the plasma.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 26 words
A method according to claim 8, wherein at least a side of the band-shaped member which is exposed to the microwave plasma is made electrically conductive.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

No citation records indexed.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1995-05-19 1995-11-18 1996-05-19 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1999-05-19 1999-11-18 2000-05-19 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2003-05-19 2003-11-18 2004-05-19 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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