# US 9,435,031 B2 · Microwave plasma and ultraviolet assisted deposition apparatus and method for material deposition using the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,435,031 B2 - Document ID: US9435031B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/149,122 - Filed: 2014-01-07 - Published: 2015-07-09 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-01-07 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Alfred Grill; Son V. Nguyen; Deepika Priyadarshini - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9435031B2 ## CPC - C23C 16/52: Controlling or regulating the coating process {(C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence)} - C23C 16/14: Deposition of only one other metal element - C23C 16/274: {using microwave discharges} - C23C 16/34: Nitrides {(C23C16/303 takes precedence)} - C23C 16/452: by activating reactive gas streams before {their} introduction into the reaction chamber, e.g. by {ionisation} or addition of reactive species - C23C 16/4558: {Perforated rings} - C23C 16/482: {using incoherent light, UV to IR, e.g. lamps} - C23C 16/511: using microwave discharges - C23C 16/515: using pulsed discharges - C23C 16/45512: {Premixing before introduction in the reaction chamber} - 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) ## Abstract A deposition apparatus for depositing a material on a substrate is provided. The deposition apparatus has a processing chamber defining a processing space in which the substrate is arranged, an ultraviolet radiation assembly configured to emit ultraviolet radiation and a microwave radiation assembly configured to emit microwave radiation into an excitation space that can be the same as the processing space, and a gas feed assembly configured to feed a precursor gas into the processing space and a reactive gas into the excitation space. The ultraviolet radiation assembly and the microwave radiation assembly are operated in combination to excite the reactive gas in the excitation space. The material is deposited on the substrate from the reaction of the excited reactive gas and the precursor gas. A method for using the deposition apparatus to deposit a material on a substrate is provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for depositing a material on a substrate, the apparatus comprising: a processing chamber defining a processing space in which the substrate is arranged; an ultraviolet radiation assembly configured to emit ultraviolet radiation into the processing space; a microwave radiation assembly configured to emit microwave radiation into the processing space; and a gas feed assembly configured to feed: a precursor gas into the processing space, and a reactive gas into the processing space, wherein the gas feed assembly comprises a plurality of conduits, and wherein each of the plurality of conduits comprises: a coaxial inner conduit and outer conduit, wherein the inner conduit defines a port through which the precursor gas or the reactive gas is fed into the processing space, and wherein the inner conduit is configured to move relative to the outer conduit to position the port at a variable position in the processing space, wherein: the ultraviolet radiation assembly and the microwave radiation assembly are configured to be operated in combination to emit ultraviolet radiation and microwave radiation to excite at least the reactive gas in the processing space, and the material is deposited on the substrate in the processing space from the reaction of the precursor gas and the excited reactive gas. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ultraviolet radiation assembly comprises: an ultraviolet source housing connected to the processing chamber; and an ultraviolet source provided within the ultraviolet source housing and configured to emit ultraviolet radiation into the processing space. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the microwave radiation assembly comprises: a microwave power source configured to generate microwave radiation for exciting the reactive gas; and a microwave applicator configured to propagate the microwave radiation generated by the microwave power source and to emit the microwave radiation into the processing space. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the microwave applicator comprises: an annular waveguide connected to the processing chamber, the annular waveguide having a plurality of slots through which microwave radiation propagated through the annular waveguide is emitted into the processing space; and one or more dielectric windows between the plurality of slots of the annular waveguide and the processing chamber to seal the processing space while allowing the microwave radiation to pass therethrough. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gas feed assembly provides fluid communication between a source of the reactive gas and a source of the precursor gas and the processing space. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the processing chamber defines the processing space as a substantially cylindrical space, the processing chamber comprises: a base wall, a top wall, and a side wall connecting the base wall and the top wall, the ultraviolet radiation assembly comprises: an ultraviolet source housing connected to the top wall of the processing chamber; and an ultraviolet source provided within the ultraviolet source housing and configured to emit ultraviolet radiation into the processing space for exciting at least the reactive gas, the microwave radiation assembly comprises: a microwave power source configured to generate microwave radiation; and a microwave applicator connected to the side wall of the processing chamber, the microwave applicator being configured to propagate the microwave radiation generated by the microwave power source and to emit the microwave radiation into the processing space to excite at least the reactive gas. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a controller configured to control: the gas feed assembly to feed the precursor gas and to feed the reactive gas after the feeding of the precursor gas, and during the feeding of the reactive gas, the ultraviolet radiation assembly to emit ultraviolet radiation and the microwave radiation assembly to emit microwave radiation simultaneously. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to control the microwave radiation assembly with pulse-time-modulation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a controller configured to control: the gas feed assembly to feed the precursor gas and to feed the reactive gas after the feeding of the precursor gas, during the feeding of the reactive gas, the ultraviolet radiation assembly to emit ultraviolet radiation and the microwave radiation assembly to emit microwave radiation in sequence.