604 results about "Plasma deposition" patented technology

A method is provided for preparing a semiconductor-on-insulator structure comprising a silicon nitride layer deposited by plasma deposition.

Metallic stents are treated with a gaseous species in a plasma state under conditions causing the species to polymerize and to be deposited in polymerized form on the metallic stent surface prior to the application of a drug-polymer mixture, which is done by conventional non-plasma deposition methods. The drug-polymer mixture once applied forms a coating on the stent surface that releases the drug in a time-release manner and gradually erodes, leaving only the underlying plasma-deposited polymer. In certain cases, the plasma-deposited polymer itself erodes or dissolves into the physiological medium over an extended period of time, leaving only the metallic stent. While the various polymers and drug remain on the stent, the plasma-deposited polymer enhances the adhesion of the drug-polymer anchor coating and maintains the coating intact upon exposure to the mechanical stresses encountered during stent deployment.

A shower plate adapted to be installed in a plasma deposition apparatus including a gas inlet port, a shower head, a reaction chamber and an exhaust duct, the shower plate being adapted to be attached to the showerhead and having: a front surface adapted to face the gas inlet port; and a rear surface opposite to the front surface, wherein the shower plate has multiple apertures each extending from the front surface to the rear surface, and wherein the shower plate further has at least one aperture extending from the front surface side of the shower plate to the exhaust duct.

Embodiments of the invention provide a novel apparatus and methods for forming a conformal doped layer on the surface of a substrate. A substrate is provided to a process chamber, and a layer of dopant source material is deposited by plasma deposition, atomic layer deposition, or plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition. The substrate is then subjected to thermal processing to activate and diffuse dopants into the substrate surface.

The invention discloses a method for preparing a graphene membrane. Carbon atoms are released from a solid carbon source by a method such as heat treatment, heat evaporation, sputtering, electron beam deposition, laser deposition or plasma deposition to form the graphene membrane on a catalytic layer or a substrate, wherein the solid carbon source is graphite, amorphous carbon, diamond, fullerene or carbon nano tubes. In the method for preparing the graphene membrane, the solid carbon source is used, the method is simple; and the prepared graphene membrane is easy to control in terms of thickness, structure and size, has excellent photoelectric characteristics and is suitable for preparing high-performance photoelectronic devices on a large scale.

A method and apparatus for depositing a coating material on a surface of a substrate by an ion plasma deposition process using a hollow cathode is disclosed. The cathode may be a substantially cylindrical hollow cathode. A plasma arc is formed on the outer circumference of the cathode to remove coating material from the cathode, which is then deposited on a surface of a substrate. An internal arc drive magnet is contained within the hollow bore of the cathode and cooling is provided to the magnet during operation.

Transistors are formed on the substrate having two different thickness' of gate oxides. A silicon nitride mask is used to protect one of the gate oxides while the other is grown. A nitride mask is formed from a hydrogen balanced nitride layer formed using direct plasma deposited nitride with an ammonia and silane chemistry. In one embodiment the nitride mask remains in place in the completed transistor.

Apparatus and method for plasma deposition of thin film photovoltaic materials at microwave frequencies. The apparatus avoids unintended deposition on windows or other microwave transmission elements that couple microwave energy to deposition species. The apparatus includes a microwave applicator with conduits passing therethrough that carry deposition species. The applicator transfers microwave energy to the deposition species to activate or energize them to a reactive state conducive to formation of a thin film material. The conduits physically isolate deposition species that would react or otherwise combine to form a thin film material at the point of microwave power transfer. The deposition species are separately energized and swept away from the point of power transfer to prevent thin film deposition. Suitable deposition species include precursors that contain silicon, germanium, fluorine, and/or hydrogen. The invention allows for the ultrafast formation of silicon-containing amorphous semiconductors that exhibit high mobility, low porosity, little or no Staebler-Wronski degradation, and low defect concentration.

Bioactive molecules have been coated on nanotubular structured titanium substrates by molecular plasma deposition. The coatings promote cell adhesion and are particularly suited for orthopedic implants that provide improved bone cell adhesion and new tissue growth. Nanodimensional features on titanium substrates are engineered using electrochemical anodization techniques. The nanostructured surfaces provide superior support for a wide selection of polypeptide coatings.

A dielectric film (91) made of CF is deposited on a substrate. A protective layer comprising an SiCN film (93) is formed on the dielectric film (91). A film (94) serving as a hardmask made of SiCO is deposited on the protective layer by a plasma containing active species of silicon, carbon, and oxygen. When the protective layer is formed, an SiC film (92) is deposited on the dielectric film (91) by a plasma containing active species of silicon and carbon, and thereafter the SiCN film (93) is deposited on the SiC film (92) by a plasma containing active species of silicon, carbon, and nitrogen.

Plasma deposition apparatus (1) and method that allows metal or nonmetal vapor (6) to be generated by electron-beam evaporation, guides that vapor using a noble gas stream (containing reactive gases in cases of reactive evaporation), ionizes the dense directed gas and vapor stream at working pressures above about 0.0001 mbar using a hollow cathode plasma arc discharge (11), and conveys the ionized vapor and/or gas stream towards the substrate (4) for impact on the surface at energies varying from thermal levels (as low as about 0.05 eV) up to about 300 eV.

A coated implantable medical device 10 includes a structure 12 adapted for introduction into the vascular system, esophagus, trachea, colon, biliary tract, or urinary tract; at least one coating layer 16 posited on one surface of the structure; and at least one layer 18 of a bioactive material posited on at least a portion of the coating layer 16, wherein the coating layer 16 provides for the controlled release of the bioactive material from the coating layer. In addition, at least one porous layer 20 can be posited over the bioactive material layer 18, wherein the porous layer includes a polymer and provides for the controlled release of the bioactive material therethrough. Preferably, the structure 12 is a coronary stent. The porous layer 20 includes a polymer applied preferably by vapor or plasma deposition and provides for a controlled release of the bioactive material. It is particularly preferred that the polymer is a polyamide, parylene or a parylene derivative, which is deposited without solvents, heat or catalysts, and merely by condensation of a monomer vapor.

A semiconductor device of p-i-n type configuration includes a p layer which is comprised of a p-doped semiconductor material, an n layer comprised of an n-doped semiconductor material and an i layer comprised of a substantially intrinsic, nanocrystalline semiconductor material interposed therebetween. The crystalline volume in the i layer decreases as the thickness of said layer increases from its interface with the n layer to its interface with the p layer. The grain size of the substantially intrinsic nanocrystalline semiconductor material may also decrease as the thickness of the i layer increases from its interface with the n layer to its interface with the p layer. The volume of regions of intermediate range order in a portion of the i layer commencing at the interface of the i layer and the p layer, and comprising no more than 50% of the thickness thereof, is greater than is the volume of regions of intermediate range order in the remainder of the i layer. Devices of this type may be used as photovoltaic devices, and may be fabricated by a plasma deposition process.

Plasma etching of a polymeric dielectric material such as polyurethane results in volatile byproducts that are deposited onto the surface of an inert substrate. The surface treatment increases adhesiveness so that the surface of the inert material may be bonded to another material. Portions of a medical device comprising an inert substrate such as a fluoropolymer may therefore be securely affixed to other portions of the medical device formed of polymeric, metallic, or ceramic materials.

A plasma process uniformity control apparatus comprises a plasma chamber defined by chamber walls and a plurality of magnetic elements disposed on the outside of the chamber walls. Each of the plurality of magnets is configured to supply a magnetic field directed at respective portions of the plasma inside the chamber to control the uniformity of the plasma directed toward the target substrate.

A method of modifying surfaces of a device, for example, a medical device, is disclosed. The method includes modifying a surface of a device by providing a device, exposing the device to a reactive gas and plasma energy to create a plasma deposited surface on the device, and quenching the device with the reactive gas. The device exhibits changes in its surface properties thereby making it more desirable for an intended use.

A method of forming source and drain regions in a semiconductor transistor. The method includes the steps of forming a first sidewall spacer on sidewall surfaces of a gate electrode that is formed on an underlying substrate, where the first sidewall spacer includes amorphous carbon. The method may also include implanting the source and drain regions in the semiconductor substrate, and removing the first sidewall spacer before annealing the source and drain regions. The method may still further include forming a second sidewall spacer on the sidewall surfaces of the gate electrode, where the second sidewall spacer has a k-value less than 4. Also, a method to enhance conformality of a sidewall spacer layer. The method may include the steps of pulsing a radio-frequency power source to generate periodically a plasma, and depositing the plasma on sidewall surfaces of a gate electrode to form the sidewall spacer layer.