Patent ID: 6610352
Filing Date: 2003-08-26
Classification: C09K,C23C,H01B

Abstract:
A method for the deposition of a thin film of a pre-determined composition onto a substrate, said composition comprising a ternary, quaternary or higher composition, comprising the steps of:(i) placing a pellet of at least one sulphide on a first source and placing a pellet of a least one sulphide on a second source, the sulphides on the first and second sources being different, said sulphides being the components of said composition, at least one of the pellets on the first and second sources additionally containing dopant for the composition; (ii) effecting vapour deposition of said composition on said substrate by simultaneously vaporizing the pellets on the first and second sources with separate electron beams; and (iii) monitoring the rate of vaporizing of sulphide from the first source with a first coating rate monitor and monitoring the rate of vaporizing of sulphide from the second source with a second coating rate monitor, said first coating rate monitor being shielded from deposition of sulphide from the second source and said second coating rate monitor being shielded from deposition of sulphide from the first source during said monitoring.