Thin film formation apparatus

Claim 1

Thin film formation apparatus for depositing hydrogenated amorphous substances on a substrate comprising: a reactor vessel: a substrate support located in a deposition space in the vessel; a starting gas source for introducing starting gas into said reactor vessel; a plasma generator in said reactor vessel for producing a plasma from the starting gas; at least one hydrogen source providing hydrogen for introduction into the reactor vessel; at least one hydrogen radical generator for generating hydrogen radicals by decomposing the hydrogen introduced into the reactor vessel; and at least one distributor for distributing hydrogen radicals uniformly over the substrate, said distributor including an elongated hollow hydrogen introducing unit having spaced apart first and second openings, said first opening being connected to the hydrogen source and said second opening being positioned adjacent said substrate, said second opening being larger than said first opening, said unit being shaped so as to expand in width in a direction from said first opening to said second opening, said distributor including at least one internal wall dividing the hollow hydrogen introducing unit into segregated inner and outer flow paths extending between said openings, whereby a film of amorphous material forms on a substrate on said support, said hydrogen source, said hydrogen radical generator and said hydrogen radical distributor together being arranged and configured to introduce a sufficient amount of hydrogen radicals into said deposition space and to direct the radicals toward a substrate on said support so that a surface of an amorphous film being formed on the substrate is covered uniformly with hydrogen radicals.