Patent ID: 7824955

Claim:
A hybrid beam deposition method for synthesizing doped metal oxide and metal-based oxide alloy films, comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a substrate having a synthesis surface for film synthesis; (b) treating the substrate by directing a first rf oxygen plasma stream at the synthesis surface of the substrate under predetermined treatment conditions that include a predetermined dynamical pressure for the rf oxygen plasma stream; (c) stabilizing the substrate at a predetermined synthesis temperature; (d) further treating the substrate by directing the rf oxygen plasma stream at the synthesis surface of the substrate at a predetermined dynamical pressure for a predetermined period of time; (e) implementing film synthesis on the synthesis surface of the substrate by: (e1) activating and operating a metal oxide plasma generating subsystem that is configured and operative to interact with a metal oxide target material to generate and direct a high-energy metal, oxide plasma plume at the synthesis surface of the substrate under predetermined synthesis conditions; and (e2) operating a source material subsystem at a synthesis temperature within a predetermined range to generate and direct a directed stream of elemental dopant material at the synthesis surface of the substrate; such that a doped film is synthesized on the substrate; (f) terminating doped film synthesis once a predetermined synthesis parameter has been achieved; (g) treating the doped film synthesized on the substrate by directing a second rf oxygen plasma stream at the synthesized doped film for a predetermined treatment period at a predetermined dynamical pressure; (h) decreasing, upon lapse of the predetermined treatment period, the substrate temperature at a predetermined rate of change to stabilize the substrate at room temperature; and (i) terminating the second rf oxygen plasma stream in the deposition chamber once the substrate has been stabilized at room temperature; wherein the doped film synthesized on the substrate and the substrate in combination define a semiconducting composite structure characterized by the doped film synthesized on the substrate.