Coating processes – Electrical product produced – Integrated circuit – printed circuit – or circuit board
Patent
1985-10-15
1987-10-20
Pianalto, Bernard D.
Coating processes
Electrical product produced
Integrated circuit, printed circuit, or circuit board
427299, B05D 306
Patent
active
047013443
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
DESCRIPTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a process for forming semiconductor film and an apparatus used therefor.
2. Background Art
Heretofore, glow discharge decomposers used for the production of solar cells and the like have been mostly employed in the form of an apparatus based on a parallel-plate method shown in FIG. 4. The parallel-plate method is suitable for the formation of films of large area but has a disadvantage in that an electric discharge taking place between an RF electrode 6 and an opposite electrode 7 results in the plasma damaging of a thin film formed on a substrate 3 placed on the RF electrode or the opposite electrode (ground electrode). Moreover, since an electric discharge also takes place on the back of the RF electrode 6 forming the RF electrode pair, it is necessary to provide a shield for suppressing this discharge. However, the provision of such a shield has the disadvantage of making the discharge unstable.
Hamakawa et al. proposed a transverse plasma method (Japanese Examined Patent Publication (Tokkyo Kokoku) No. 42126/1983), as shown in FIG. 5, to minimize damage caused by plasma to thin films formed. However, there is naturally a limit to the distance between the RF electrode 6 and the ground electrode 7, and hence to the size of the substrate 3 to be used, which results in a disadvantage that it is impossible to obtain a thin film of large area. Moreover, in order to avoid deposition of a thin film on the electrode pair, a container such as one designated by the numeral 4 is required.
In view of the actual circumstances described above, the present inventors have conducted intensive research to minimize damage caused by plasma to a thin film formed on the substrate in the parallel-plate method and to dispense with the shield required on the back of the RF electrode and the container used in the transverse plasma method while forming a thin film of large area, and have found out that the object can be attained by the present invention, and then have completed the present invention.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Namely, the present invention relates to a process for forming a film, characterized in that, in forming a thin film of amorphous semiconductor or the like by the glow discharge decomposition, one or more electrode pair rows each consisting of a plurality of high frequency electrode pairs arranged in a line are arranged in parallel and substrates are arranged on both sides of the electrode pair row approximately in parallel to the electrode pair row, and relates to a glow discharge decomposition film forming apparatus, characterized by comprising one or more parallel rows each consisting of a plurality of high frequency electrode pairs arranged in a line, substrate moving devices disposed on both sides of the electrode pair row to arrange substrates approximately in parallel to the electrode pair row, and, if necessary, a heater positioned to heat the substrate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing an embodiment of the high frequency electrode pair row used in the apparatus of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing another embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; and
FIGS. 4 and 5 are explanatory views of film forming apparatuses conventionally used.
BEST MODE OF THE INVENTION
The process of the present invention is described with reference to FIG. 1 showing an embodiment of the apparatus of the invention in the following.
As shown in FIG. 1, high frequency electrodes 1 and 2 are linearly and alternately arranged in a plurality of pairs, so that electric discharge takes place between the electrodes 1 and 2. The electrodes may be planar, but in order to prevent abnormal discharge and to produce uniform plasma P, it is preferable that the electrodes have round cross-section, e.g., circular or oval. Such a construction makes unnecessary the shield on the back which is require
REFERENCES:
patent: 4513022 (1985-04-01), Jansen et al.
Tawada Yoshihisa
Tsuge Kazunori
Kanegafuchi Kagaku Kogyo & Kabushiki Kaisha
Pianalto Bernard D.
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