Alternating Volume Dosing for Continuous Liquid Lithium Evaporation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing deposition systems for alkali and alkaline earth metals, such as lithium, face challenges in managing the high reactivity of these materials, particularly in achieving high volume and low-cost manufacturing while ensuring uniform, pure deposition.
Innovation Solution
A vapor deposition apparatus and method that includes a tank for providing a liquefied material, with a dosage system comprising alterable volume units and actuators to control the flow of the liquefied material to an evaporation arrangement, ensuring precise regulation of the material provision and evaporation rate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional evaporation sources are used for lithium deposition, then deposition can be achieved, but the melting point of lithium limits the maximum power that can be applied and therefore the maximum deposition rate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of lithium from solid to liquid, enabling the use of liquid lithium as feedstock. This parameter change allows heating above the melting point without compromising source integrity, thereby enabling higher evaporation rates and improved productivity while maintaining controlled deposition conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transitions by melting lithium to form a liquid source, then controlling evaporation from this liquid state. The phase transition from solid to liquid enables higher operating temperatures and increased vapor pressure, directly addressing the melting point limitation and allowing higher deposition rates.
2Reliability
If sputtering methods are used for lithium deposition, then deposition can be achieved, but the high reactivity of lithium complicates target manufacturing and handling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the problematic solid lithium target from the sputtering process and replaces it with liquid lithium fed directly into the evaporation chamber. This eliminates the need for manufacturing and handling solid lithium targets, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining reliable deposition through direct evaporation from the liquid source.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces liquid lithium as an intermediary between the feedstock and deposition process. Instead of using solid targets that require manufacturing and handling, liquid lithium serves as a convenient intermediary that can be easily transferred and evaporated, simplifying the overall process while ensuring reliable deposition.
3Productivity
If high temperature heating is used to increase vapor concentration for high deposition rates, then deposition rate improves, but the reactivity of lithium with ambient surroundings increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an inert atmosphere (vacuum or inert gas) throughout the evaporation and deposition process. By maintaining this protective environment, the system enables high-temperature heating of liquid lithium to achieve high vapor concentrations and deposition rates while preventing oxidation and other reactive interactions with ambient surroundings.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous evaporation from a liquid lithium source, maintaining a steady stream of lithium vapor throughout the chamber. This continuous process minimizes exposure time to potential contaminants and ensures consistent deposition conditions, thereby achieving high deposition rates while mitigating oxidation risks through uninterrupted operation in a controlled environment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables efficient, continuous, and precise material provision to the evaporation arrangement, improving deposition rates and maintaining the purity of the deposited layer, while minimizing reactivity-related issues.
Implementation Method 1
the first actuator and the second actuator are configured to alternatingly provide a force to the alterable first volume and the alterable second volume for providing the liquefied material to the evaporation arrangement
Implementation Method 2
For thermal evaporation, a source material is heated up to produce a vapor that may be deposited, for example, on a substrate
Implementation Method 3
The source material to be deposited on the substrate can be heated in a tank to produce vapor at an elevated vapor pressure
Implementation Method 4
The vapor can be transported from the tank to a coating volume in a heated manifold. The source material vapor can be distributed from the heated manifold onto a substrate in a coating volume
Data Source
AI summary
A vapor deposition apparatus is provided. The vapor deposition apparatus includes a tank for providing a liquefied material, a first unit having an alterable first volume, the first unit including a first actuator and including a first line to be in fluid communication with the tank. Further, the vapor deposition apparatus includes a second unit having an alterable second volume, the second unit including a second actuator and including a second line to be in fluid communication with the tank. The vapor deposition apparatus includes an evaporation arrangement, the evaporation arrangement being in fluid communication with the first unit and the second unit. The first actuator and the second actuator are configured to alternatingly provide a force to the alterable first volume and the alterable second volume for providing the liquefied material to the evaporation arrangement.