Beam source for production of radicals and metastables

A method of making a semiconductor, the method comprising the steps of:

• generating a corona discharge plasma in a first region, the first region being located in the orifice of a nozzle;
• supersonically expanding the corona discharge plasma generated in the first region into a second region located outside of the orifice;
• maintaining a pressure difference of from about 10.sup.2 torr to about 10.sup.5 torr between the first region and the second region to facilitate the expanding;
• and
• penetrating the supersonically expanding corona discharge plasma with a molecular beam skimmer to collimate and direct at least a portion of the plasma toward a substrate.

A method of making a semiconductor, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a nozzle tube which defines a nozzle orifice at an end of the nozzle tube, the nozzle tube containing an electrode having a tip located adjacent the nozzle orifice;
• generating a corona discharge in the nozzle tube such that a continuous spark extends from the tip of the electrode, into the nozzle orifice;
• generating a plasma from the corona discharge, the plasma being generated within the nozzle orifice;
• supersonically expanding the plasma as the plasma exits the nozzle orifice;
• and
• passing at least a portion of the supersonically expanding plasma through a molecular beam skimmer toward a substrate.

A system for making a semiconductor, the system comprising:

• a corona discharge nozzle which defines a passageway, a reactant gas inlet, and a nozzle orifice;
• an electrode disposed within and axially aligned with the passageway and connected to a power source, the electrode being positioned such a distance from the nozzle orifice that, when power is supplied to the electrode and a reactant gas is supplied through the gas inlet, a corona discharge takes place within the nozzle orifice;
• a source body which surrounds the nozzle and defines a chamber containing the nozzle;
• and
• a molecular beam skimmer axially aligned with the nozzle orifice for collimating at least a portion of a corona discharge plasma exiting the nozzle orifice toward a substrate.

A corona discharge system for fabricating a semiconductor device, the system comprising:

• a corona discharge tube defining a first region which is a nozzle orifice of the corona discharge tube;
• a source of reactant gas, the source being connected to the corona discharge tube;
• an electrode disposed within the corona discharge tube and connected to a direct-current power source, the electrode being positioned such a distance from the nozzle orifice that, when power is supplied to the electrode and a reactant gas is supplied to the corona discharge tube, a corona discharge takes place within the orifice;
• a source body defining a second region immediately adjacent to and in fluid communication with the first region, the second region being at a pressure sufficiently lower than the first region such that a corona discharge plasma generated in the first region supersonically expands into the second region;
• a molecular beam skimmer having an orifice which is axially aligned with the first region, the molecular beam skimmer being located adjacent to the second region, and intermediate the second region and a third region defined by a thin-film deposition chamber;
• and
• a substrate support located in the third region in axial alignment with the molecular beam skimmer orifice.