Patent ID: 7931787

Claim:
A vapor deposition apparatus for forming a film on a substrate, comprising: a. a vacuum chamber; b. means for positioning a substrate within the chamber, the substrate providing a first surface for forming the film thereon, the first surface electrically floating; c. a second surface, the second surface maintained at a negative potential; d. a vapor source, the vapor source positioned so as to direct a vapor towards the substrate, the vapor containing constituents for forming the film; e. magnetic field assembly means providing a magnetic field, the magnetic field possessing field lines that intersect first and second surfaces, the magnetic field providing containment of electrons; and, f. an electron source, the electron source positioned for providing a flux of electrons centrally into the magnetic field, the flux sufficiently large to provide a negative space-charge adjacent to the first surface, so that a substantial plasma sheath is unable to form at the first surface, the negative space-charge providing a negative potential, V s , to the first surface, wherein acceleration of positive ions toward the first surface by V s is substantially prevented by the negative space-charge.