Method for Producing Thin Films

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This patent describes a method for producing high-quality thin films, especially semiconductor films, using Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD). The core innovation is the application of additional treatments—such as ion or plasma pulses, and/or light (photon) pulses—specifically during the 'pauses' between the main laser pulses that deposit film material onto a substrate. These precisely timed pulses provide energy to the newly-deposited particles, allowing them to more perfectly integrate into the growing film's structure, minimizing defects and grain boundaries, without causing damage or introducing unwanted particles.

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• Fabrication of high-performance semiconductor thin films for microelectronics (e.g., transistors, diodes).
• Production of thin films for solar cells, improving energy conversion efficiency.
• Development of advanced optoelectronic devices, such as LEDs and lasers, due to better film quality.
• Creation of thin-film coatings on temperature-sensitive substrates like plastics, enabling flexible electronics.
• Manufacturing of epitaxial thin films for high-end sensor or communication technologies.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Significantly enhanced electronic quality of thin films, by reducing structural defects and grain boundaries.
• Ability to deposit films on temperature-sensitive substrates, since the process works at lower substrate temperatures.
• Greater control over the orientation and crystalline quality of the film, leading to better device performance.
• Minimized risk of unwanted ion implantation or damage to the thin film during the process.
• Enables the precise timing and synchronization of energy pulses, optimizing the thin film growth for specific applications.

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Patent Abstract

Pulsed Laser Deposition - (PLD) is a proven film deposition method that is used for thin films (08). A material target (02) is bombarded with laser pulses (27) and the ablated particles are deposited on a substrate (07). However, during said deposition, excessive particle energies can lead to quality-reducing effects. Additional film treatments are therefore carried out pulse-synchronously or for periods lasting beyond the pulses. In order to improve the electronic quality of a preferably semiconductive thin film (08), according to the invention the film treatments are carried out alternately with the pulses, exclusively in the pauses (28) between pulses, thus impressing ion or plasma pulses (30) on the growing thin film (08). The resultant deposition of additional energy allows the particles that have already been deposited in the thin film (08) to achieve optimal integration into the thin film (08), so that defects and grain boundaries can be prevented to a great extent or can be corrected. The additional energy is constantly measured such that no particles are removed from or implanted in the thin film (08) and also no additional defects are created. In addition to the aforementioned measures, in order to further energize the deposited particles, photon pulses (32) can also be irradiated alternately with the pulses. The additional film treatment pulses are preferably synchronized using a time-of-flight measurement probe (33) located in the vicinity of the substrate.