US5354445A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Thin film-forming apparatus
Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
•
Filing: 1993-07-22
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Granted: 1994-10-11
•
Expires: 2013-07-22
Abstract
Abstract A thin film forming apparatus which utilizes cluster ion beam deposition to form thin films on a substrate. In one embodiment, the electrons which ionize the vapor clusters are generated by a cathode which is located inside the corresponding anode. The cathode serves not only as a source of electrodes but also as a means for heating the crucible containing the substance to be deposited. In another embodiment, an electron emitter located at a position remote from the vapor flow in the apparatus is utilized as the source of electrons to form the ionized clusters.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroki Ito
- 👤 Naoyuki Kajita
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 12:33
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/30; H01J37/305; H01J37/3053; C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/22; C23C14/221; H01J2237/00; H01J2237/30; H01J2237/31; H01J2237/3132
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
124 words
A thin film apparatus, comprising: a crucible for holding a substance for deposition having an opening at a top portion; a heating means for heating the crucible and vaporizing the substance therein; an ionization means, disposed above the opening of the crucible, for generating electrons for ionizing clusters of the vaporized substance; anode means, disposed circumferentially around the ionization means, the anode means having a positively charged voltage relative to the ionization means, the anode means for attracting the electrons generated by the ionization means, and causing the generated electrons to collide with the vaporized substance; an acceleration means, disposed above the ionization means, for drawing ionized clusters of the vaporized substance towards a substrate for receiving the ionized clusters of the vaporized substance.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
124 words
A thin film apparatus, comprising: a crucible for holding a substance for deposition having an opening at a top portion; a heating means for heating the crucible and vaporizing the substance therein; an ionization means, disposed above the opening of the crucible, for generating electrons for ionizing clusters of the vaporized substance; anode means, disposed circumferentially around the ionization means, the anode means having a positively charged voltage relative to the ionization means, the anode means for attracting the electrons generated by the ionization means, and causing the generated electrons to collide with the vaporized substance; an acceleration means, disposed above the ionization means, for drawing ionized clusters of the vaporized substance towards a substrate for receiving the ionized clusters of the vaporized substance.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
A thin film apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the acceleration means comprises: a positively charged acceleration electrode.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
63 words
A thin film forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the acceleration means further comprises: an attraction electrode disposed above the acceleration electrode and having a negatively charged voltage, relative to the acceleration electrode; and a control electrode disposed above the attraction electrode having a charge of a potential between the potential of the attraction electrode and the charge of the acceleration electrode.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
A thin film forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a magnetic field generating means, disposed circumferentially around the ionization means, for generating a magnetic field on the electrons generated by the ionization means, the direction of the magnetic field being substantially perpendicular to a direction of an electric field between the ionization means and the anode means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
A thin film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the ionization means, in addition to generating electrons, generates heat for heating the substance in the crucible.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ionization means and anode means causes an electric field to be generated therebetween, wherein a direction of the electric field is substantially perpendicular to a line between a central portion of the ionization means and the opening in the crucible.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
81 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a magnetic field generating means, disposed circumferentially around the ionization means, for generating a magnetic field on the electrons generated by the ionization means, the direction of the magnetic field being substantially perpendicular to a direction of the electric field between the ionization means and the anode means; wherein said magnetic field generating means includes at least three physically separate magnetic field generators for generating said magnetic field which includes three magnetic fields.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
172 words
A thin film apparatus, comprising: a crucible for holding a substance for deposition having an opening at a top portion; a heating means for heating the crucible to vaporize the substance therein; an ionization filament, disposed above the opening of the crucible, for generating electrons for ionizing clusters of the vaporized substance; an anode surrounding the ionization filament, the crucible and the heating means, the anode having a positively charged voltage relative to the ionization filament to attract the electrons generated by the ionization filament and cause the generated electrons to collide with the vaporized substance; an acceleration means, disposed above the ionization filament, for drawing ionized clusters of the vaporized substance towards a substance for receiving the ionized clusters of the vaporized substance; and a magnetic field generating means, disposed circumferentially around the ionization filament, for generating a magnetic field on the electrons generated by the ionization filament, the direction of the magnetic field being substantially perpendicular to a direction of an electric field between the ionization filament and the anode.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
172 words
A thin film apparatus, comprising: a crucible for holding a substance for deposition having an opening at a top portion; a heating means for heating the crucible to vaporize the substance therein; an ionization filament, disposed above the opening of the crucible, for generating electrons for ionizing clusters of the vaporized substance; an anode surrounding the ionization filament, the crucible and the heating means, the anode having a positively charged voltage relative to the ionization filament to attract the electrons generated by the ionization filament and cause the generated electrons to collide with the vaporized substance; an acceleration means, disposed above the ionization filament, for drawing ionized clusters of the vaporized substance towards a substance for receiving the ionized clusters of the vaporized substance; and a magnetic field generating means, disposed circumferentially around the ionization filament, for generating a magnetic field on the electrons generated by the ionization filament, the direction of the magnetic field being substantially perpendicular to a direction of an electric field between the ionization filament and the anode.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
46 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein an electric field is generated between the ionization filament and the anode, the direction of the generated electric field being substantially perpendicular to a line between a central portion of the ionization filament and the opening in the crucible.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein: said magnetic field generating means includes at least three physically separate magnetic field generators for generating said magnetic field which includes three magnetic fields.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
125 words
A thin film apparatus, comprising: a crucible for holding a substance for deposition having an opening at a top portion; a heating means for heating the crucible and vaporizing the substance therein; an ionization means for generating electrons for ionizing clusters of the vaporized substance; anode means, disposed circumferentially around the ionization means, for attracting the electrons generated by the ionization means and causing the generated electrons to collide with the vaporized substance, the anode means and ionization means forming an electrical field which moves the electrons generated by the ionization means towards the anode means; and an acceleration means, disposed above the ionization means, for drawing ionized clusters of the vaporized substance towards a substrate for receiving the ionized clusters of the vaporized substance.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
125 words
A thin film apparatus, comprising: a crucible for holding a substance for deposition having an opening at a top portion; a heating means for heating the crucible and vaporizing the substance therein; an ionization means for generating electrons for ionizing clusters of the vaporized substance; anode means, disposed circumferentially around the ionization means, for attracting the electrons generated by the ionization means and causing the generated electrons to collide with the vaporized substance, the anode means and ionization means forming an electrical field which moves the electrons generated by the ionization means towards the anode means; and an acceleration means, disposed above the ionization means, for drawing ionized clusters of the vaporized substance towards a substrate for receiving the ionized clusters of the vaporized substance.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
56 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising: a magnetic field generating means, disposed circumferentially around the ionization means, for generating a magnetic field on the electrons generated by the ionization means, the direction of the magnetic field being substantially perpendicular to a direction of the electric field between the ionization means and the anode means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein: the ionization means and the anode means and the electric field generated thereby cause electrons emitted from the ionization means to drift away from a central ionization area towards the anode means and collide with the vaporized substance between the anode means and ionization means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a first direction is defined to be between the opening in the crucible and a center portion of the ionization means, and wherein the electric field between the ionization means and the anode means is substantially perpendicular to said first direction.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
198 words
A thin film apparatus, comprising: a crucible for holding a substance for deposition having an opening at a top portion; a heating means for heating the crucible and vaporizing the substance therein; an ionization means for generating electrons for ionizing clusters of the vaporized substance; anode means, disposed circumferentially around the ionization means, for attracting the electrons generated by the ionization means and causing the generated electrons to collide with the vaporized substance, the anode means and ionization means forming an electrical field which moves the electrons generated by the ionization means towards the anode means; an acceleration means, disposed above the ionization means, for drawing ionized clusters of the vaporized substance towards a substrate for receiving the ionized clusters of the vaporized substance; and a magnetic field generating means, disposed circumferentially around the ionization means, for generating a magnetic field on the electrons generated by the ionization means, the direction of the magnetic field being substantially perpendicular to a direction of the electric field between the ionization means and the anode means; wherein said magnetic field generating means includes at least three physically separate magnetic field generators for generating said magnetic field which includes three magnetic fields.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
198 words
A thin film apparatus, comprising: a crucible for holding a substance for deposition having an opening at a top portion; a heating means for heating the crucible and vaporizing the substance therein; an ionization means for generating electrons for ionizing clusters of the vaporized substance; anode means, disposed circumferentially around the ionization means, for attracting the electrons generated by the ionization means and causing the generated electrons to collide with the vaporized substance, the anode means and ionization means forming an electrical field which moves the electrons generated by the ionization means towards the anode means; an acceleration means, disposed above the ionization means, for drawing ionized clusters of the vaporized substance towards a substrate for receiving the ionized clusters of the vaporized substance; and a magnetic field generating means, disposed circumferentially around the ionization means, for generating a magnetic field on the electrons generated by the ionization means, the direction of the magnetic field being substantially perpendicular to a direction of the electric field between the ionization means and the anode means; wherein said magnetic field generating means includes at least three physically separate magnetic field generators for generating said magnetic field which includes three magnetic fields.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein: the ionization means and the anode means and the electric field generated thereby cause electrons emitted from the ionization means to drift away from a central ionization area towards the anode means and collide with the vaporized substance between the anode means and ionization means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein a first direction is defined to be between the opening in the crucible and a center portion of the ionization means, and wherein the electric field between the ionization means and the anode means is substantially perpendicular to said first direction.
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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) | 1997-10-10 | 1998-04-11 | 1998-10-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-10-10 | 2002-04-11 | 2002-10-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-10-10 | 2006-04-11 | 2006-10-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |