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 . In a physical vapor deposition effusion method comprising the steps of:
 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, each vessel located entirely within 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 so that a fog of source materials is created and deposited on the strip material in the deposition zone, the improvement comprising:
 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 the fog has 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 . In a vapor deposition effusion vessel having a pair of side walls and an axis oriented generally parallel to the side walls, a base joined to the side walls, and a pair of end walls joined to the base and the-side walls, the vessel having a heating element and an lid including plural nozzles spaced from each other along the elongate axis, the vessel base and walls defining a reservoir configured to receive molten source material, the improvement comprising:
 the vessel comprising an elongate vessel in which the side walls are elongate side walls, the base is an elongate base, the lid is an elongate lid, and the axis is an elongate axis, such that a common length defined where the elongate side walls join the elongate base is greater than a common width defined where the elongate base joins the end walls and greater than a common depth defined where the side walls join the end walls, wherein the plural nozzles are spaced from each other along the elongate axis.   
     
     
         3 . 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. 
     
     
         4 . The vapor deposition effusion vessel of  claim 2 , wherein the nozzles are integrally formed into the lid. 
     
     
         5 . The vapor deposition effusion vessel of  claim 4 , wherein the nozzles are integrally formed into the lid. 
     
     
         6 . The vapor effusion vessel of  claim 2 , wherein the vessel is rectangular. 
     
     
         7 . The vapor effusion vessel of  claim 4 , wherein the vessel is rectangular. 
     
     
         8 . The vapor effusion vessel of  claim 6 , wherein the vessel is rectangular. 
     
     
         9 . The vapor effusion vessel of  claim 8 , wherein the vessel is rectangular. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each vessel comprises the vessel of  claim 2 . 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the vessel further comprises a heating element and the method further comprises controlling the heating element to maintain the lid and nozzles at temperatures higher then the temperature of molten material contained within the vessel. 
     
     
         12 . In a physical vapor deposition effusion system comprising means for 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 multiple substantially closed vessels located serially along the processing path, each vessel located entirely within the same deposition chamber, each vessel containing a heated quantity of a different source material configured to concurrently emit 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 so that a fog of source materials is created and deposited on the strip material in the deposition zone, the improvement comprising:
 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 the fog has 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.   
     
     
         13 . In a physical vapor deposition effusion system comprising means for translating a strip material through a physical vapor deposition zone and along a processing path in a deposition chamber, 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 an elongated source located in the deposition zone configured to emit a source material across the width of the deposition zone, the improvement comprising:
 the elongated source comprising an elongate vessel located entirely within the deposition zone containing a heated quantity of the source material, the vessel comprising 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 in a direction corresponding to the width of the physical vapor deposition zone.   
     
     
         14 . In a physical vapor deposition effusion method comprising the steps of:
 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 an elongated source configured to emit a source material across the width of the physical vapor deposition zone, the improvement comprising:
 providing the elongated source in the form of an elongated vessel located entirely within the deposition zone containing a heated quantity of the source material, the vessel comprising 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 in a direction corresponding to the width of the physical vapor deposition zone.