Nozzle-Based, Vapor-Phase, Plume Delivery Structure for Use in Production of Thin-Film Deposition Layer

Abstract

A physical vapor deposition effusion method comprising translating a strip material through a physical vapor deposition zone in a deposition chamber and providing first and second substantially closed vessels located serially along the processing path in the same deposition chamber, each vessel emitting different source materials to produce overlapping plumes and having an array of vapor delivery nozzles distributed uniformly across the vessel along the width of the zone, and configured to expel overlapping plumes to create a fog having a substantially uniform composition across the width and a varying composition across the length of the zone. Also, an elongate vapor deposition effusion vessel having an elongate lid including plural nozzles spaced from each other along its elongate axis, and a continuous heating element in the lid encircling the plural nozzles, the heating element having electrical contacts connected to an electrical source on the same side of the vessel.

1 . A physical vapor deposition effusion method, comprising: translating a strip material through a physical vapor deposition zone and along a processing path in a deposition chamber, each of the strip material and the physical vapor deposition zone having a width oriented perpendicular to the processing path and a length oriented parallel to the processing path; and providing multiple substantially closed vessels located serially along the processing path in the same deposition chamber, each vessel containing a heated quantity of a different source material, concurrently emitting the different source materials from the multiple vessels to produce overlapping plumes of the different source materials in the physical vapor deposition zone in the same deposition chamber, each vessel including an array of vapor delivery nozzles distributed uniformly across the vessel in a direction corresponding to the width of the physical vapor deposition zone and configured to expel overlapping plumes of source material, so that a fog of source materials is created and deposited on the strip material in the deposition zone, the fog having a substantially uniform composition across the width of the physical vapor deposition zone and a varying composition across the length of the physical vapor deposition zone. 
   
   
       2 . A vapor deposition effusion vessel comprising an elongate vessel having a pair of elongate side walls and an elongate axis oriented generally parallel to the elongate side walls, the vessel having a heating element and an elongate lid including plural nozzles spaced from each other along the elongate axis. 
   
   
       3 . The vapor deposition effusion vessel of  claim 2 , wherein the vessel has a base, the side walls being joined to the base, and a pair of end walls joined to the base and side walls. 
   
   
       4 . The vapor deposition effusion vessel of  claim 2 , wherein the heating element is controllable to maintain the lid and nozzles at temperatures higher then the temperature of molten material contained within the vessel. 
   
   
       5 . The vapor deposition effusion vessel of  claim 3 , wherein the heating element is controllable to maintain the lid and nozzles at temperatures higher then the temperature of molten material contained within the vessel. 
   
   
       6 . The vapor deposition effusion vessel of  claim 2 , wherein the nozzles are integrally formed into the lid. 
   
   
       7 . The vapor deposition effusion vessel of  claim 3 , wherein the nozzles are integrally formed into the lid. 
   
   
       8 . The vapor deposition effusion vessel of  claim 4 , wherein the nozzles are integrally formed into the lid. 
   
   
       9 . The vapor deposition effusion vessel of  claim 5 , wherein the nozzles are integrally formed into the lid. 
   
   
       10 . The vapor effusion vessel of  claim 2 , wherein the vessel is rectangular. 
   
   
       11 . The vapor effusion vessel of  claim 3 , wherein the vessel is rectangular. 
   
   
       12 . The vapor effusion vessel of  claim 4 , wherein the vessel is rectangular. 
   
   
       13 . The vapor effusion vessel of  claim 5 , wherein the vessel is rectangular. 
   
   
       14 . The vapor effusion vessel of  claim 6 , wherein the vessel is rectangular. 
   
   
       15 . The vapor effusion vessel of  claim 7 , wherein the vessel is rectangular. 
   
   
       16 . The vapor effusion vessel of  claim 8 , wherein the vessel is rectangular. 
   
   
       17 . The vapor effusion vessel of  claim 9 , wherein the vessel is rectangular. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each vessel comprises a rectangular vessel having a base, a pair of elongate side walls joined to the base, and a pair of end walls joined to the base and side walls, the vessel having an elongate axis oriented parallel to the elongate side walls, the vessel having a lid including plural nozzles integrally formed into the lid and spaced from each other along the elongate axis. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the vessel comprises a heating element, the method comprising controlling the heating element to maintain the lid and nozzles at temperatures higher then the temperature of molten source material contained within the vessel. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the vessel comprises a heating element, the method comprising controlling the heating element to maintain the lid and nozzles at temperatures higher then the temperature of molten source material contained within the vessel.