Vapor deposition apparatus and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018010239-A1
Application number	US-201615202984-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 6, 2016
Priority date	Jul 6, 2016
Publication date	Jan 11, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vapor deposition apparatus includes a chamber configured to operate at vacuum and at least one crucible in the chamber. The crucible is configured to receive an ingot, a feeder operable to move the ingot with respect to the at least one crucible, and a heater in the chamber and configured to heat a hot zone between the at least one crucible and the feeder. A method for vapor deposition is also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vapor deposition apparatus, comprising:
a chamber configured to operate at vacuum; at least one crucible in the chamber, the at least one crucible configured to receive an ingot; a feeder operable to move the ingot with respect to the at least one crucible; and a heater in the chamber and configured to heat a hot zone between the at least one crucible and the feeder.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the feeder includes a drive mechanism and a mechanical guide mechanism or guide rods.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the heater is between the mechanical guide mechanism or guide rods and the crucible.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heater is fixed to the crucible.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heater is an induction heater.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heater is a microwave heater.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heater is a resistance heater.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heater is selected from a group consisting of an induction heater, a microwave heater, and a resistance heater.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heater circumscribes the hot zone.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heater is operable to heat the hot zone above the vaporization temperature of water across a typical range of thermal emission physical vapor deposition (TE-PVD) process pressures.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising heat shields defining the hot zone.

12 . A method for vapor deposition, comprising:
driving off moisture from an ingot in a vapor deposition chamber prior to the ingot entering a crucible; and providing the ingot to the crucible for vapor deposition.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising feeding the ingot through a hot zone and into the crucible.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the hot zone is defined between an ingot feeder and the crucible.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the moisture is driven off as the ingot is fed through the hot zone.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein heat is retained by providing heat shields.

17 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising heating the hot zone with a heater that is in the chamber.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the heater is selected from a group consisting of an induction heater, a microwave heater, and a resistance heater.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the ingot is heated to a temperature above the vaporization temperature of water.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the heater circumscribes the ingot.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Nielsen Erik M
• Gero Peter F

Classifications

• C23C14/243

  Crucibles for source material (C23C14/28, C23C14/30 take precedence) · CPC title

• C23C14/26 Primary

  by resistance or inductive heating of the source · CPC title

• C23C14/246

  Replenishment of source material · CPC title

• C23C14/24

  Vacuum evaporation · CPC title