Laser and laser-assisted free electron beam deposition apparatus and method

Claim 2

A vapor deposition apparatus for vaporizing a material contained in a crucible contained in a deposition chamber to coat a thin film of the material on a substrate contained in the deposition chamber, comprising: a first laser located outside of the deposition chamber provided with means for directing a first laser beam emitted by said laser to the crucible; a second vaporizing beam apparatus selected from the group consisting of at least one electron beam generating apparatus and at least one second laser provided with means for directing a vaporizing beam generated by said second vaporizing beam generating apparatus to the crucible.

Claim 3

A vapor deposition apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said second vaporizing beam generating apparatus consists of at least one electron beam generating apparatus.

Claim 4

A vapor deposition apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said second vaporizing beam generating apparatus consists of at least one second laser.

Claim 5

A vapor deposition apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a means for cleaning an area through which said laser beam is directed into the deposition chamber to remove accumulation of material on said area.

Claim 6

A vapor deposition apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein said cleaning means is an aperture apparatus, comprising: a housing for mounting inside the deposition chamber, said housing having an aperture located whereby said laser beam may be directed through said aperture to said crucible; a disc located inside said housing which disc is formed of a material which is capable of transmitting said laser beam, whereby said laser beam may be directed along a path through said disc and to said aperture in said housing; means for providing rotation of said disc whereby said laser beam is not continuously directed at a same position on said disc; a disc cleaning energy beam directed inside said housing to said disc to clear deposited material on said disc at a location prior to rotation of said location into said path of said laser beam through said disc.

Claim 7

A vapor deposition apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein said disc comprises a planar circular disc of fused silica, and said disc cleaning energy beam comprises a laser beam.

Claim 8

A vapor deposition apparatus for vaporizing a material contained in a crucible contained in a deposition chamber to coat a thin film of the material on a substrate contained in the deposition chamber, comprising: at least one laser located outside of the deposition chamber provided with means for directing a high energy laser beam emitted by said laser into the crucible; means for controlling operation of said laser; at least one an electron beam generating apparatus with means for directing the electron beam generated by said electron beam generating apparatus to the crucible; means for controlling operation of said electron beam generating apparatus; said electron beam and said laser beam being directed to said crucible; said laser beam providing sufficient energy to said material whereby said material may be vaporized by said electron beam with minimal ejection of material particulates, to coat the substrate with minimal oxidation of said material in said coating.

Claim 9

A vapor deposition apparatus for vaporizing a material contained in a crucible contained in a deposition chamber to coat a thin film of the material on a substrate contained in the deposition chamber, comprising: at least one laser located outside of the deposition chamber provided with means for directing a high energy laser beam emitted by said laser into the crucible; means for controlling operation of said laser; at least one an electron beam generating apparatus with means for directing the electron beam generated by said electron beam generating apparatus to the crucible; means for controlling operation of said electron beam generating apparatus; said electron beam and said laser beam being directed to said crucible; said laser beam providing sufficient energy to said material whereby said material may be vaporized by said electron beam with minimal ejection of material particulates, to coat the substrate with minimal oxidation of said material in said coating.

Claim 10

A vapor deposition apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein said electron beam generating apparatus is operated at a power level sufficiently low to provide minimal X-ray emissions.

Claim 11

A vapor deposition apparatus in accordance with claim 8, further comprising a means for cleaning an area through which said laser beam is directed into the deposition chamber to remove accumulation of material on said area.

Claim 12

A vapor deposition apparatus in accordance with claim 9, further comprising: a housing for mounting inside the deposition chamber, said housing having an aperture located whereby said laser beam may be directed through said aperture to said crucible; a disc located inside said housing which disc is formed of a material which is capable of transmitting said laser beam, whereby said laser beam may be directed along a path though said disc and through said aperture in said housing; means for providing rotation of said disc whereby said laser beam is not continuously directed at a same position on said disc; a disc cleaning energy beam directed inside said housing to said disc to clear deposited material on said disc at a location prior to rotation of said location into said path of said laser beam.

Claim 13

A vapor deposition apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein said disc comprises a planar circular disc of fused silica, and said disc cleaning energy beam comprises a laser beam.

Claim 14

A vapor deposition apparatus for vaporizing a material contained in a crucible contained in a deposition chamber to coat a thin film of the material on a substrate contained in the deposition chamber, comprising: at least one first laser provided with means for directing a high energy first laser beam emitted by said first laser into the crucible; means for controlling operation of said first laser; at least one second laser provided with means for directing a high energy second laser beam emitted by said second laser to the crucible; means for controlling operation of said second laser; said first and second laser beams being directed to said crucible; said first laser beam providing sufficient energy to said material whereby said material may be vaporized by said second laser beam with minimal ejection of material particulates, to coat the substrate with minimal oxidation of said material in said coating.

Claim 15

A vapor deposition apparatus for vaporizing a material contained in a crucible contained in a deposition chamber to coat a thin film of the material on a substrate contained in the deposition chamber, comprising: at least one first laser provided with means for directing a high energy first laser beam emitted by said first laser into the crucible; means for controlling operation of said first laser; at least one second laser provided with means for directing a high energy second laser beam emitted by said second laser to the crucible; means for controlling operation of said second laser; said first and second laser beams being directed to said crucible; said first laser beam providing sufficient energy to said material whereby said material may be vaporized by said second laser beam with minimal ejection of material particulates, to coat the substrate with minimal oxidation of said material in said coating.

Claim 16

A vapor deposition apparatus in accordance with claim 12, further comprising a means for cleaning an area through which said laser beams are directed into the deposition chamber to remove accumulation of material on said area.

Claim 17

A vapor deposition apparatus in accordance with claim 13, further comprising, for each of said first and second lasers: a housing for mounting inside the deposition chamber, said housing having an aperture located whereby said laser beam may be directed through said aperture to said crucible; a disc located inside said housing which disc is formed of a material which is capable of transmitting said laser beam, whereby said laser beam may be directed along a path though said disc and through said aperture in said housing; means for providing rotation of said disc whereby said laser beam is not continuously directed at a same position on said disc; a disc cleaning energy beam directed inside said housing to said disc to clear deposited material on said disc at a location prior to rotation of said location into said path of said laser beam.

Claim 18

In a beam deposition apparatus for vaporizing a material contained in a crucible contained in a deposition chamber to coat a thin film of the material on a substrate contained in the deposition chamber, an aperture apparatus for a laser beam directed at said crucible to vaporize the material, comprising: a housing for mounting inside the deposition chamber, said housing having an aperture located whereby said laser beam may be directed through said aperture to said crucible; a disc located inside said housing which disc is formed of a material which is capable of transmitting said laser beam, whereby said laser beam may be directed along a path through said disc and to said aperture in said housing; means for providing rotation of said disc whereby said laser beam is not continuously directed at a same position on said disc; a disc cleaning energy beam directed inside said housing to said disc to clear deposited material on said disc at a location prior to rotation of said location into said path of said laser beam through said disc.

Claim 19

In a beam deposition apparatus for vaporizing a material contained in a crucible contained in a deposition chamber to coat a thin film of the material on a substrate contained in the deposition chamber, an aperture apparatus for a laser beam directed at said crucible to vaporize the material, comprising: a housing for mounting inside the deposition chamber, said housing having an aperture located whereby said laser beam may be directed through said aperture to said crucible; a disc located inside said housing which disc is formed of a material which is capable of transmitting said laser beam, whereby said laser beam may be directed along a path through said disc and to said aperture in said housing; means for providing rotation of said disc whereby said laser beam is not continuously directed at a same position on said disc; a disc cleaning energy beam directed inside said housing to said disc to clear deposited material on said disc at a location prior to rotation of said location into said path of said laser beam through said disc.

Claim 20

In a beam deposition apparatus in accordance with claim 15, wherein said disc comprises a planar circular disc of fused silica, and said disc cleaning energy beam comprises a laser beam.

Claim 21

A process of vapor deposition of a material on a substrate, in a deposition chamber containing the substrate and a crucible in which is located the material to be deposited on the substrate, comprising: generating a laser beam of selected power and directing said laser beam into said crucible; generating an electron beam of selected power and directing said electron beam into said crucible; said laser beam providing sufficient energy to said material whereby said material may be vaporized by said electron beam, with minimal ejection of material particulates, to coat the substrate with minimal oxidation of said material in said coating.

Claim 22

A process of vapor deposition of a material on a substrate, in a deposition chamber containing the substrate and a crucible in which is located the material to be deposited on the substrate, comprising: generating a laser beam of selected power and directing said laser beam into said crucible; generating an electron beam of selected power and directing said electron beam into said crucible; said laser beam providing sufficient energy to said material whereby said material may be vaporized by said electron beam, with minimal ejection of material particulates, to coat the substrate with minimal oxidation of said material in said coating.

Claim 23

A process in accordance with claim 17, wherein said laser beam and said electron beam are operated simultaneously to provide a desired energy input to said material.

Claim 24

A process in accordance with claim 17, wherein said laser beam and said electron beam are operated at selected intervals to provide a staged input of energy to said material to minimize ejection of macro-particles of said material from said crucible.

Claim 25

A process in accordance with claim 19, wherein said electron beam is generated at a sufficiently low power level to minimize X-ray emissions.

Claim 26

A process of vapor deposition of a material on a substrate, in a deposition chamber containing the substrate and a crucible in which is located the material to be deposited on the substrate, comprising: generating a first laser beam of selected power and directing said first laser beam into said crucible; generating a second laser beam of selected power and directing said second laser beam into said crucible; said first laser beam providing sufficient energy to said material whereby said material may be vaporized by said second laser beam, with minimal ejection of material particulates, to coat the substrate with minimal oxidation of said material in said coating.

Claim 27

A process of vapor deposition of a material on a substrate, in a deposition chamber containing the substrate and a crucible in which is located the material to be deposited on the substrate, comprising: generating a first laser beam of selected power and directing said first laser beam into said crucible; generating a second laser beam of selected power and directing said second laser beam into said crucible; said first laser beam providing sufficient energy to said material whereby said material may be vaporized by said second laser beam, with minimal ejection of material particulates, to coat the substrate with minimal oxidation of said material in said coating.

Claim 28

A process in accordance with claim 21, wherein said first laser beam and said second laser beam are operated simultaneously to provide a desired energy input to said material.

Claim 29

A process in accordance with claim 21, wherein said first laser beam and said second laser beam are operated at selected intervals to provide a staged input of photon energy to said material to minimize ejection of macro-particles of said material from said crucible.