Areesys Technologies, Inc.

Michael Z Wong

Kai-An Wang

Efrain A Velazquez

Albert Ting

Craig W Marion

Wen-Chieh Geoffrey Lee

Jingru Sun

A corona polarization (also denoted 'poling') process and associated apparatus polarizes a ferroelectric polymer thin film while monitoring and evaluating a substrate current whose magnitude, slope and noise profile (Barkhausen noise) varies in accordance with phase transformation processes of crystallites within the film and, thereby, provides an indication of the polarization status. The electric current flowing through the microstructures of the thin film can be modeled by an equivalent circuit, within which electrical charges stored in the respective microstructures are denoted by a plurality of discrete components (e.g., capacitors). Alternatively, the process can be modeled in terms of a hysteresis loop of polarization vs. electric field, corresponding to the availability of recombination sites on the thin-film surface. By comparing the measured substrate current to the result derived from the equivalent circuit, the major processing parameters such as poling current and voltage can be adjusted via an in-situ manner throughout the corona poling process and an accurate process endpoint can be established. As a consequence, a ferroelectric thin film is fabricated that has an enhanced piezoelectric effect yet minimized aging problems.

Controlled thin-film ferroelectric polymer corona polarizing system and process

A deposition system includes a magnetron sputter deposition source that includes a backing frame that includes a window and a closed loop around the window. The backing frame includes inside surfaces towards the window, one or more sputtering targets mounted on inside surfaces of the backing frame, and one or more magnets mounted on outside surfaces of the backing frame. The one or more sputtering targets include sputtering surfaces that define internal walls of the window. The one or more magnets can produce a magnetic field near the one or more sputtering surfaces. A substrate includes a deposition surface oriented towards the window in the backing frame. The deposition surface receives sputtering material(s) from the one or more sputtering targets.

Film deposition apparatus with low plasma damage and low processing temperature

Growing community of inventors

Castro Valley, CA, United States of America

Michael Z Wong