Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080245969 | Method and Apparatus for Creating a Plasma - An apparatus is provided for producing a plasma for a work surface, for example to deposit material thereon. The apparatus comprises an enclosure which contains an ionizable gas, a plurality of plasma excitation devices each of which is arranged to enable microwaves to travel from a first end thereof to a second end and radiate therefrom into the gas, and means for generating a magnetic field in the gas. A source of microwaves feeds microwaves to the first ends of the excitation devices. In use, regions exist within the said gas where the direction of the electric vector of the microwaves is non-parallel to the lines of the magnetic field, and the magnetic field has value B, and the microwaves have a frequency f such as to substantially satisfy the relationship: B=πmf D e where m and e are the mass and charge respectively of an electron. | 10-09-2008 |
20100047473 | METHOD OF FORMING A FILM BY DEPOSITION FROM A PLASMA - A method is described of depositing film of an amorphous or microcrystalline material, for example silicon, from a plasma on to a substrate. Microwave energy is introduced into a chamber as a sequence of discrete microwave pulses, a film precursors gas is introduced into the chamber as a sequence of discrete gas pulses, and gas for generating atomic hydrogen is supplied to the chamber at least during each microwave pulse. Each microwave pulse is followed in non-overlapping fashion with a precursor gas pulse, and each precursor gas pulse is followed by a period during which there is neither a microwave pulse nor a precursor gas pulse. | 02-25-2010 |
20100062561 | METHOD FOR FORMING A FILM WITH A GRADED BANDGAP BY DEPOSITION OF AN AMORPHOUS MATERIAL FROM A PLASMA - A method is described of forming a film of an amorphous material on a substrate by deposition from a plasma. The substrate is placed in an enclosure, a film precursor gas is introduced into the enclosure, and unreacted and dissociated gas is extracted from the enclosure so as to provide a low pressure therein. Microwave energy is introduced into the gas within the enclosure to produce a plasma therein by distributed electron cyclotron resonance (DECR) and cause material to be deposited from the plasma on the substrate. The said flow rate of the film precursor gas is altered during the course of deposition of material, so as to cause the bandgap to vary over the thickness of the deposited material. | 03-11-2010 |
20100068415 | DEPOSITION OF AMORPHOUS SILICON FILMS BY ELECTRON CYCLOTRON RESONANCE - A method is described for forming a film of amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) on a substrate by deposition from a plasma. The substrate is placed in an enclosure, a film precursor gas is introduced into the enclosure, and unreacted and dissociated gas is extracted from the enclosure so as to provide a low pressure in the enclosure. Microwave energy is introduced into the gas within the enclosure to produce a plasma therein by distributed electron cyclotron resonance (DECR) and cause material to be deposited from the plasma on the substrate. The substrate is held during deposition at a temperature in the range 200-600° C., preferably 225-350° C. and a bias voltage is applied to the substrate at a level to give rise to a sheath potential in the range −30 to −105V, preferably using a source of RF power in the range of 50-250 mW/cm2 of the area of the substrate holder. | 03-18-2010 |
20100071621 | DEVICE FOR FORMING A FILM BY DEPOSITION FROM A PLASMA - A plasma excitation device is described for use in depositing a film on a substrate from a plasma formed by distributed electron cyclotron resonance. The device comprises a microwave antenna having an end from which microwaves are emitted, a magnet disposed in the region of the said antenna end and defining therewith an electron cyclotron resonance region in which a plasma can be generated, and a gas entry element having an outlet for a film precursor gas or a plasma gas. The outlet is arranged to direct gas towards a film deposition area situated beyond the magnet, as considered from the microwave antenna. | 03-25-2010 |
20100075065 | FILM DEPOSITION OF AMORPHOUS FILMS BY ELECTRON CYCLOTRON RESONANCE - A method is disclosed for forming a film of an amorphous material, for example amorphous silicon, on a substrate ( | 03-25-2010 |
20100075458 | FILM DEPOSITION OF AMORPHOUS FILMS WITH A GRADED BANDGAP BY ELECTRON CYCLOTRON RESONANCE - A method is described of forming a film of an amorphous material on a substrate ( | 03-25-2010 |
20100105195 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING A FILM BY DEPOSITION FROM A PLASMA - An apparatus is described for depositing a film on a substrate from a plasma. The apparatus comprises an enclosure, a plurality of plasma generator elements disposed within the enclosure, and means, also within the enclosure, for supporting the substrate. Each plasma generator element comprises a microwave antenna having an end from which microwaves are emitted, a magnet disposed in the region of the said antenna end and defining therewith an electron cyclotron resonance region in which a plasma can be generated, and a gas entry element having an outlet for a film precursor gas or a plasma gas. The outlet is arranged to direct gas towards a film deposition area situated beyond the magnet, as considered from the microwave antenna, the outlet being located in, or above, the hot electron confinement envelope. | 04-29-2010 |
20140042130 | Plasma Treatment of Substrates - A process for plasma treating a substrate comprises applying a radio frequency high voltage to at least one electrode positioned within a dielectric housing having an inlet and an outlet while causing a process gas, usually comprising helium, to flow from the inlet past the electrode to the outlet, thereby generating a non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma. An atomised or gaseous surface treatment agent is incorporated in the non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma. The substrate is positioned adjacent to the plasma outlet so that the surface is in contact with the plasma and is moved relative to the plasma outlet. The velocity of the process gas flowing past the electrode is less than 100 m/s. Process gas is also injected into the dielectric housing at a velocity greater than 100 m/s. The volume ratio of process gas injected at a velocity greater than 100 m/s to process gas flowing past the electrode at less than 100 m/s is from 1:20 to 5:1. | 02-13-2014 |
20140248444 | Plasma Treatment Of Substrates - An apparatus for plasma treating a substrate comprises a high voltage source of frequency 3 kHz to 30 kHz connected to at least one needle electrode ( | 09-04-2014 |