Method of forming thin films on substrates at low temperatures

Abstract

A method is provided for forming thin films, such as high temperature superconductors, on a surface of a substrate using pulsed microwaves to control substrate temperature. The method includes vaporizing a liquid source to form a series of vapor pulses, irradiating the vapor pulses and a makeup gas with pulsed microwaves, and exposing the surface of the substrate to the irradiated mixture to form a thin film on the surface. The microwaves may be pulsed to coincide with the arrival of the vapor pulses at the substrate, thus reducing the amount of material consumed and the amount of waste. Further, the plasma may be closely confined to the substrate with a dielectric waveguide to reduce the power required for irradiating the mixture and to prevent the formation of stray deposits on surfaces enclosing the substrate.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.