Patent ID: 6844031

Claim:
A method for multilayer ion beam deposition utilizing a common ion beam source, comprising the steps of: (a) providing an ion beam deposition apparatus comprising: i. process chamber having an interior space maintained under vacuum conditions by the action of a single vacuum pump means and including substrate mounting means therein; ii. an ion beam source means within said process chamber for performing said multilayer deposition; iii. plurality of gas supply means for supplying said ion beam source means with source gases for said multilayer deposition, each of said plurality of gas supply means adapted for providing a constant flow of source gas therefrom; iv. said single vacuum pump means connected to each of said plurality of gas supply means; and v. plurality of valve means, including a valve means connected to each of said plurality of gas supply means and to said single vacuum pump means for selectively supplying source gas from one of said plurality of gas supply means to said ion beam source means while venting source gas from all others of said plurality of gas supply means to said single vacuum pump means; (b) providing said substrate mounting means with a substrate having at least one deposition surface; and (c) ion beam depositing a multilayer film on said at least one substrate deposition surface, said ion beam depositing including the sequential steps of: i. establishing a substantially constant flow of source gas from each of said plurality of gas supply means to said single vacuum pump means; ii. opening the valve means connected to a selected one of said plurality of gas supply means for supplying source gas therefrom to said ion beam source means and closing the valve means connecting said selected one of said plurality of gas supply means to said single vacuum pump means, while maintaining closed the valve means connected to all others of said plurality of gas supply means for supplying source gas therefrom to said ion beam source means and maintaining open the valve means connecting all others of said plurality of gas supply means to said single vacuum pump means; iii. ion beam depositing on said at least one substrate surface a layer of a selected material having a desired thickness, utilizing the source gas supplied to said ion beam source means from the selected one of said plurality of gas supply means; iv. upon completion of said ion beam depositing of said layer of selected material, closing the valve means connected to said selected one of said plurality of gas supply means for supplying source gas therefrom to said ion beam source means and opening the valve means connecting said selected one of said plurality of gas supply means to said single vacuum pump means; and v. repeating steps ii.-iv., to selectively supply source gas from at least one other of said plurality of gas supply means, thereby to deposit said multilayer film on said at least one substrate deposition surface.