Semiconductor OneSource: Semiconductor Glossary -- Search For : evaporation

Term (Index)	Definition
electron beam (e-beam) evaporation	material is evaporated as a result of highly localized heating by bombardment with high energy electrons generated in an electron gun and directed toward the surface of source material confined in the crucible; evaporated material is very pure; bombardment of metal with electrons is accompanied by generation of low intensity X-rays which may create defects in the oxide present on the surface of the substrate; typically, an anneal is needed to eliminate those defects.
Physical Vapor Deposition, PVD	deposition of thin film occurs through physical transfer of material (e.g. thermal evaporation and sputtering)from the source to the substrate; chemical composition of deposited material is not altered in the process.

Term (Index)	Definition
filament evaporation	thermal evaporation; source material is attached to the filament (refractory metal) and melted by high current flowing through the filament; alternative approach is to use a "boat" made out of refractory metal which contains material to be evaporated; current sufficient to melt a source material is passed through the boat.
electron beam (e-beam) evaporation	material is evaporated as a result of highly localized heating by bombardment with high energy electrons generated in an electron gun and directed toward the surface of source material confined in the crucible; evaporated material is very pure; bombardment of metal with electrons is accompanied by generation of low intensity X-rays which may create defects in the oxide present on the surface of the substrate; typically, an anneal is needed to eliminate those defects.
evaporation	common technique used to deposit thin film materials; material to be deposited is heated in vacuum, 10^-6 Torr - 10^-7 Torr range, until it melts and starts evaporating; vapor of material is condensing on the cooler substrate exposed to the vapor; common technique in thin film metal deposition; not suitable for high melting point materials; one of the PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) methods of thin film formation.

Term (Index)	Definition
reactive evaporation	same concept as reactive sputtering.
evaporation	common technique used to deposit thin film materials; material to be deposited is heated in vacuum, 10^-6 Torr - 10^-7 Torr range, until it melts and starts evaporating; vapor of material is condensing on the cooler substrate exposed to the vapor; common technique in thin film metal deposition; not suitable for high melting point materials; one of the PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) methods of thin film formation.
reactive sputtering	sputter deposition process in which species sputtered off the target material are chemically reacting with other species in the gas mixture to form a compound to be deposited; e.g. sputtering of Si in plasma containing oxygen will result in deposition of SiO₂.

Term (Index)	Definition
thermal evaporation	see filament evaporation
filament evaporation	thermal evaporation; source material is attached to the filament (refractory metal) and melted by high current flowing through the filament; alternative approach is to use a "boat" made out of refractory metal which contains material to be evaporated; current sufficient to melt a source material is passed through the boat.
Physical Vapor Deposition, PVD	deposition of thin film occurs through physical transfer of material (e.g. thermal evaporation and sputtering)from the source to the substrate; chemical composition of deposited material is not altered in the process.