# US 4,394,210 A · Process for forming a lead film

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- Number: US 4,394,210 A
- Document ID: US4394210A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/248,212
- Filed: 1981-03-27
- Granted: 1983-07-19
- Earliest claimed: 1980-03-31
- Assignees: Futaba Denshi Kogyo K.K.
- Inventors: Kiyoshi Morimoto; Toshinori Takagi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4394210A

## CPC

- H01M 4/64: Carriers or collectors
- C23C 14/16: on metallic substrates or on substrates of boron or silicon
- C23C 14/32: by explosion; by evaporation and subsequent ionisation of the vapours {, e.g. ion-plating}(C23C14/34 - C23C14/48 take precedence)
- C30B 23/02: Epitaxial-layer growth
- C30B 29/02: Elements
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- Y10S 117/905: Electron beam
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- C30B: SINGLE-CRYSTAL GROWTH (by using ultra-high pressure, e.g. for the formation of diamonds, B01J3/06); UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION OF EUTECTIC MATERIAL OR UNIDIRECTIONAL DEMIXING OF EUTECTOID MATERIAL; REFINING BY ZONE-MELTING OF MATERIAL (zone-refining of metals or alloys C22B); PRODUCTION OF A HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE (casting of metals, casting of other substances by the same processes or devices B22D; working of plastics B29; modifying the physical structure of metals or alloys C21D, C22F); SINGLE CRYSTALS OR HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE; AFTER-TREATMENT OF SINGLE CRYSTALS OR A HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE (for producing semiconductor devices or parts thereof H10); APPARATUS THEREFOR
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

There is disclosed a process for forming a lead film by a cluster ion beam deposition which includes the step of impinging ionized and non-ionized neutral clusters having 100 to 2,000 atoms of vapor of lead loosely coupled by Van der Walls force upon a substrate within a vacuum chamber which is kept at about 10.sup.-2 Torr or less thereby forming the lead film thereon.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for forming a lead film including a closed type crucible having at least one injection nozzle, means for heating and vaporizing lead, an ionization chamber, an acceleration electrode having an acceleration voltage, a shutter, a substrate, temperature control means for controlling the temperature of said substrate, and a vacuum chamber surrounding said crucible, said heating and vaporizing means, said ionization chamber, said acceleration electrode, said shutter, said substrate, and said temperature control means, wherein said process comprises:
heating and vaporizing said lead in said crucible to form a pressurized lead vapor;
injecting said lead vapor through said at least one injection nozzle into said vacuum chamber;
maintaining a pressure differential between said vacuum chamber and said lead vapor in said crucible at a ratio of less than or equal to 10.sup.-2 ;
using said pressure differential to form a vapor stream of said lead;
generating electron beams within said ionization chamber;
directing said electron beams through said vapor stream so as to form an ionized portion of said vapor stream;
accelerating said ionized portion of said vapor stream toward said substrate with said acceleration electrode;
impinging said vapor stream upon said substrate such that said lead film is deposited thereon;
using said shutter for selectively shielding said substrate from the flow of said vapor stream;
controlling the packing density of said lead film by regulating said acceleration voltage; and
controlling the surface flatness of said lead film by regulating said temperature control means such that the temperature of said substrate is maintained below the melting point of lead.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 which further comprises controlling the orientation of the crystal axis of said lead film by regulating said acceleration voltage.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 which further comprises controlling the flatness of said lead film by regulating said heating means.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 which further comprises:
forming large aggregates of lead atoms within said vapor stream; and
controlling the formation of said large aggregates by modifying the shape of said injection nozzle.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 which further comprises maintaining the temperature of said substrate below 50.degree. C.