Scaleup of the 'Electron Jet' Jet Vapor Deposition Source

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This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project aims to lay the foundation for scaleup and commercial application of a powerful new thin film Jet Vapor Deposition (JVD) source, the `electron jet, or e-jet`, recently invented at Jet Process Corporation (JPC). JVD is gaining increased recognition for its use of `sonic jets in low vacuum` to deposit high quality films of metals, semiconductors, oxides, nitrides, and organics at high rate. The e-jet has the potential to combine very high rates of deposition with very precise in-situ control of the properties of the growing film. This is done by high flux ion bombardment with low energy ions, a capability made possible by the unusually high ion density of the e-jet's plasma. JPC is collaborating with several large companies on applications where the e-jet offers the only promising, commercially viable solution. In order to realize the e-jet's promise of ultra-high throughput and fine property control they propose to investigate and optimize e-jet performance factors critical to film quality: cluster formation and growth, plasma ion density, and ion impact energy on biased substrates. In Phase I JPC will use mass spectrometry, Langmuir probe methods, and retarding potential techniques to address those issues. Success in Phase I will result in a JVD source capable of extremely high throughputs, control of film quality, pollution free operation, and application to many materials; in Phase II a tenfold faster e-jet will be constructed for commercial applications. Enhancement of e-jet performance will lead to immediate economic benefits for JPC and its contractors in a wide range of applications.