Virtual cathode deposition (VCD) for thin film manufacturing
AssigneePlasma App Ltd.
InventorDmitry Yarmolich
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A virtual cathode deposition apparatus utilises virtual plasma cathode for generation of high density electron beam to ablate a solid target. A high voltage electrical pulse ionizes gas to produce a plasma which temporarily appears in front of the target and serves as the virtual plasma cathode at the vicinity of target. This plasma then disappears allowing the ablated target material in a form of a plasma plume to propagate toward the substrate. Several virtual cathodes operating in parallel provide plumes that merge into a uniform plasma which when condensing on a nearby substrate leads to wide area deposition of a uniform thickness thin film.
Claims36
A thin film deposition apparatus comprising;
- a hollow cathode, a substrate holder and a target holder,
- the substrate holder and the target holder being located on opposite sides of the hollow cathode,
- a plasma supply element to supply plasma to the interior of the hollow cathode at an end of the hollow cathode nearest the target holder, and
- a power unit connected to the hollow cathode to supply a high voltage pulse to the hollow cathode,
- such that when the plasma supply element supplies plasma to the hollow cathode and a high voltage pulse is applied to the hollow cathode, a virtual plasma cathode forms, and such that the virtual plasma cathode generates an electron beam, directed towards a target held in the target holder, and
- wherein a plume of ablated target material passes through the hollow cathode.
A method of thin film deposition comprising;
- providing a hollow cathode, a substrate and a target,
- the substrate and the target being located on opposite sides of the hollow cathode,
- supplying plasma to the interior of the hollow cathode at an end of the hollow cathode nearest the target, and
- supplying a high voltage pulse to the hollow cathode,
- such that a virtual plasma cathode is formed and
- such that the virtual plasma cathode generates an electron beam, directed towards a target held in the target holder
- wherein a plume of ablated target material passes through the hollow cathode towards the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.