Vapor transport deposition method and system for material co-deposition
An improved feeder system and method for continuous vapor transport deposition that includes at least two vaporizers coupled to a common distributor through an improved seal for separately vaporizing and collecting at least any two vaporizable materials for deposition as a material layer on a substrate. Multiple vaporizers provide redundancy and allow for continuous deposition during vaporizer maintenance and repair.
1. A method for depositing a material comprising:
vaporizing a first material powder into a first material vapor in a first permeable member of a first vaporizer unit within a vacuum vessel, wherein the first permeable member is permeable to vapor;
vaporizing a second material powder into a second material vapor in a second permeable member of a second vaporizer unit within the vacuum vessel, wherein the second permeable member is permeable to vapor;
collecting the first and second material vapors separately in the vacuum vessel; and
outputting the material vapors separately.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of collecting the first and second material vapors separately further comprises:
capturing the first material vapor from the first vaporizer unit in a first vapor housing;
passing the first material vapor from the first vapor housing to a first chamber in the vacuum vessel;
capturing the second material vapor from the second vaporizer unit in a second vapor housing; and
passing the second material vapor from the second vapor housing to a second chamber in the vacuum vessel.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first and second material powders are a semiconductor material.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first and second material powder are a mixture of two different semiconductor materials.
5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first and second material powders are a mixture of a semiconductor material and a dopant.
6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the semiconductor material is CdTe.
7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the semiconductor material is CdS.
8. The method of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the two semiconductor materials is CdTe.
9. The method of claim 5 , wherein the semiconductor material is CdTe and the dopant is Si.
10. A method for continuous vapor transport deposition of a material on a substrate comprising:
vaporizing a first material powder into a first material vapor in a first vaporizing unit comprising a first permeable member within a vacuum vessel, wherein the first permeable member is permeable to vapor;
vaporizing a second material powder into a second material vapor in a second vaporizer unit comprising a second permeable member within the vacuum vessel, wherein the second permeable member is permeable to vapor;
passing the first and second material vapors from the first and second vaporizer units into separate chambers in the vacuum vessel;
separately outputting the vapor first and second material vapors onto a substrate; and
deactivating the first vaporizer unit and continuing to pass the second material vapor from the second vaporizer unit for output; or
deactivating the second vaporizer unit and continuing to pass the first material vapor from the first vaporizer unit for output.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first or second material vapor is a semiconductor material vapor.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first material vapor and the second material vapor are each semiconductor material vapors.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first and second material vapors comprise a semiconductor material vapor and a dopant.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the semiconductor material vapor is CdTe vapor.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first and the second semiconductor material vapors is CdTe vapor.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the semiconductor material vapor is CdTe vapor and the dopant is Si.
17. A method for depositing a material comprising:
vaporizing a first material powder into a first material vapor in a first vaporizer unit housed within a vacuum vessel;
vaporizing a second material powder into a second material vapor in a second vaporizer unit housed within the vacuum vessel;
collecting the first and second material vapors separately in the vacuum vessel; and
outputting the material vapors separately.
18. The method of claim 2 , wherein a seal extends from a first opening in the first vapor housing into a vapor distribution unit.
19. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first and second vaporizer units are within first and second vapor housings, and wherein a seal extends from an opening in the first vapor housing into a vapor distribution unit.
20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first vaporizer unit is within a first vapor housing and the second vaporizer unit is within a second vapor housing, and wherein a seal extends from a first opening in the first vapor housing into a vapor distribution unit.