Plasma Plume Filter With Drain Channel for Particle Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing filters for plasma plumes are ineffective in capturing undesired particles, as these particles bounce off and are dispersed outside the filter, leading to suboptimal substrate quality.
Innovation Solution
A filter design featuring a housing with a drain channel and a primary blade with a concave surface, angled to direct particles towards the drain opening, ensuring effective capture and redirection of particles away from the substrate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a rotatable disc with vanes is used to filter particles from plasma plume, then particle filtering is achieved, but particles bounce off and are dispersed outside the housing where substrate is located, causing suboptimal substrate quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a drain channel dimension that redirects particles vertically downward into the housing, changing the particle trajectory from horizontal dispersion to vertical collection. The drain channel connects to a drain opening positioned to receive particles bounced by the rotating vanes, effectively capturing particles in a new spatial dimension rather than allowing them to disperse horizontally toward the substrate.
Solution Approach 2:
The drain channel acts as an intermediary structure between the rotating vanes and the housing exterior. Instead of particles directly reaching the substrate after bouncing from vanes, the drain channel intercepts them and channels them to a drain opening, serving as a mediating element that prevents harmful particle dispersion.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the housing is closed to contain particles, then particle containment is improved, but particles bounce around inside and may still reach the substrate with plasma plume
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts particles from the plasma plume flow by using rotating vanes to bounce them out of the main plasma stream, and then further extracts them from the housing interior by channeling them through the drain channel to the drain opening. This two-stage extraction process removes harmful particles from the system before they can reach the substrate.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating vanes perform preliminary action by bouncing particles out of the plasma plume before the particles can travel to the substrate. This preliminary deflection, combined with the drain channel's subsequent capture, prevents particles from reaching the substrate in the first place.
3Ease of operation
If an open housing structure is used, then particle bounce-off is achieved, but particles are dispersed to the outside housing where substrate is typically located
Solution Approach 1:
The drain channel serves as an intermediary that intercepts particles bounced by the vanes before they can disperse to the housing exterior and substrate. This mediator structure maintains the effectiveness of particle bounce-off while preventing the harmful consequence of particle dispersion.
Solution Approach 2:
The drain channel extracts particles from the housing interior environment, removing them from the system before they can reach the substrate. This extraction process preserves the particle bounce-off mechanism while eliminating the harmful dispersion effect.
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 filter significantly improves particle capture efficiency, preventing undesired particles from reaching the substrate and enhancing the quality of the deposited plasma layer.
Implementation Method 1
the at least one primary blade has a contact surface for contact with the plasma plume
Implementation Method 2
the rotatable disc of vanes will wipe the trailing part of the plasma plume away
Data Source
AI summary
A filter for a pulsed laser deposition device includes a housing with two pass-through openings arranged in the housing wall and forming a pass-through channel for passing at least part of the plasma plume through the housing, which pass-through channel extends from one side of the housing to an opposite side of the housing, at least one primary blade arranged at a distance from and rotatable around a rotation axis, with the path of the at least one primary blade intersecting with the pass-through channel and with the at least one primary blade having a contact surface for contact with the plasma plume, and a drain channel connecting to a drain opening arranged in the housing wall.