A MOLECULAR BEAM SOURCE FOR USE OF THIN-FILM ACCUMULATION AND A METHOD FOR CONTROLLING VOLUME OF MOLECULAR BEAM

摘要

A molecular beam source for use in thin-film accumulation, which enables the adjustment of the volume of a molecular beam, which is discharged per hour by using a needle valve, to be constant irrespective of a decrease in a thin-film element-forming material remaining within a crucible, contains heaters 32 and 42 for heating the thin-film element-forming materials “a” and “b” within crucibles 31 and 41, and valves 33 and 43 for adjusting the volumes to be discharged of molecules of the thin-film element forming materials “a” and “b”, which are generated within the crucibles 31 and 41. It further contains a controller for adjusting the opening of the valves 33 and 43 by servomotors 36 and 46 through feeding back information relating to the volumes of the molecular beams, which are obtained from film-thickness meters 16 and 26 for detecting the volume of molecular beams discharged towards the film-forming surface, a heating electric power source for supplying an electric power to heaters 32 and 42, and a controller for adjusting the electric power to be supplied to the heating electric power source depending upon the information relating to the volume of the molecular sources and information relating to the opening of the valves.