Low vacuum vapor process for producing superconductor articles with epitaxial layers
AssigneeAmerican Superconductors Corporation
InventorsLeslie G. Fritzemeier, David M. Buczek
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for fabricating superconductor articles with an epitaxial layer is described. The method can be performed under conditions of relatively high pressure and low substrate surface temperature. The resulting epitaxial layers can demonstrate various advantageous features, including low pore density and/or inclusions with small average particle size diameter.
Claims71
A method of growing an epitaxial layer on a surface of a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:
- exposing the surface of the substrate to a gas having a velocity of at least about one meter per second to grow the epitaxial layer on the surface of the substrate, wherein during the exposing step the substrate has a temperature that is about the same as a PVD epitaxial growth threshold temperature for a chamber pressure of at most about 1×10−4 torr, the gas becomes a component of the epitaxial layer, the exposing step is performed in a chamber having a pressure of at least about 1×10−3 torr, and the substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of oxides, metals, alloys;
- and
- depositing on the epitaxial layer a layer of material selected from the group consisting of superconductor materials and precursors of superconductor materials.
A method of forming an epitaxial layer on a surface of a substrate, the method comprising the step of:
- exposing the surface of the substrate to a gas beam having a layer forming gas, wherein at least about 75% of the layer forming gas within the gas beam is incident on the surface of the substrate, and wherein the substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of oxides, metals and alloys;
- and
- depositing on the epitaxial layer a layer of material selected from the group consisting of superconductor materials and precursors of superconductor materials.
A method of forming an epitaxial layer on a surface of a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:
- exposing the surface of the substrate to a conditioning gas that interacts with surface of the substrate to form a conditioned surface of the substrate;
- and
- exposing the conditioned surface of the substrate to a gas beam having a layer forming gas having a velocity of at least about one meter per second, wherein the layer forming gas becomes a component of an epitaxial layer on the conditioned surface of the substrate, the exposing steps are performed in a chamber having a pressure of at least about 1×10−3torr, and the substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of oxides, metals and alloys;
- and
- depositing on the epitaxial layer a layer of material selected from the group consisting of superconductor materials and precursors of superconductor materials.
A method of growing an epitaxial layer on a surface of a substrate, the method comprising:
- exposing, in a chamber having a pressure of at least about 1×10−3 torr, the surface of the substrate to a gas beam comprising a layer forming gas having a velocity of at least about one meter per second, wherein the substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of oxides, metals and alloys;
- and
- depositing on the epitaxial layer a layer of material selected from the group consisting of superconductor materials and precursors of superconductor materials.
A method of growing an epitaxial layer on a surface of a substrate, the method comprising:
- exposing, in a chamber having a pressure comprising at least about 0.5 percent hydrogen, the surface of the substrate to a gas beam comprising a layer forming gas having a velocity of at least about one meter per second, wherein the layer forming gas becomes a component of the epitaxial layer and the substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of oxides, metals and an alloys;
- and
- depositing on the epitaxial layer a layer of material selected from the group consisting of superconductor materials and precursors of superconductor materials.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.