High rate, continuous deposition of high quality amorphous, nanocrystalline, microcrystalline or polycrystalline materials

摘要

An apparatus and a method for high rate deposition of thin film materials. The method including the steps of (1) generating a supply of activated species from an energy transferring gas, through the use of a plasma; (2) separating the charged species from the non-charged species of the activated species (optionally through the use of an electrically biased screen or mesh), (3) transporting the non-charged species to a collision region (through the use of the substantial pressure differential and transonic velocity of the energy transferring gas); (4) introducing a precursor deposition feedstock gas into the collision region and; (5) producing large quantities of desirable deposition species within said collision region via the collision of non-charged species of said energy transferring gas with molecules within the precursor deposition feedstock gas; and (6) depositing, at a high deposition rate, quality thin film material onto a substrate which is adjacent to the collision. The apparatus will allow for the formation of a filtered, neutralized plasma from which non-single crystal semiconductors having fewer than 5.0×10¹⁴/cm³ subgap defects.