Methods of nucleation control in film deposition
AssigneeStewart Engineers, Inc.
InventorDavid Sheel
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are methods to achieve a significant degree of nucleation control with a chemical vapor deposition based coating approach, by controlling the chemistry of a specifically chosen under layer on a substrate such as glass and then treating this under layer on at least its surface to a specified degree to achieve targeted nucleation control in the second layer film, which is at least partially crystalline.
Claims21
A method of controlling nucleation of a film, and influencing a subsequent growth of the film, by atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition resulting in a film having optimized properties, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a substrate;
- depositing an under layer on the substrate, wherein the under layer has at least one of a chemical composition and a physical structure selected to improve nucleation of a thin film subsequently deposited on the under layer compared to nucleation of a thin film deposited directly on the substrate;
- treating in a controlled atmosphere at least a surface of the under layer with a nucleation control treatment configured to control nucleation of the subsequently deposited thin film;
- and
- depositing a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer on the treated under layer, resulting in the film having optimized properties.
A film having enhanced properties provided on a substrate, the film comprising:
- an under layer provided directly on a surface of the substrate, wherein the under layer comprises silicon, carbon and oxygen that has been treated with an oxidizing component;
- and
- transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer deposited on the treated under layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.