Cluster generator
AssigneeThe Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
InventorsTodor I. Donchev, Ivan G. Petrov
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Described herein is an apparatus and a method for producing atom clusters based on a gas discharge within a hollow cathode. The hollow cathode includes one or more walls. The one or more walls define a sputtering chamber within the hollow cathode and include a material to be sputtered. A hollow anode is positioned at an end of the sputtering chamber, and atom clusters are formed when a gas discharge is generated between the hollow anode and the hollow cathode.
Claims33
An apparatus for producing a plurality of atom clusters, the apparatus comprising:
- a hollow cathode comprising one or more walls, the walls defining a sputtering chamber within the hollow cathode and comprising a material to be sputtered;
- a hollow anode at an end of the sputtering chamber,
- wherein atom clusters are formed when a gas discharge is generated in the sputtering chamber.
A method for producing atom clusters, the method comprising:
- providing a hollow cathode having one or more walls, the walls defining a a sputtering chamber within the hollow cathode and comprising at least one material to be sputtered;
- providing a hollow anode at an end of the sputtering chamber;
- generating a gas discharge between the hollow anode and the hollow cathode;
- forming a vapor of the material in the sputtering chamber;
- and
- forming atom clusters from the vapor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.