Method and apparatus for liquid phase deposition

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus for liquid phase deposition, comprising: a saturation reaction system, including a mixture trough, at least two supply devices for raw materials, a stirrer device, a filter device, and valve control devices; a steady-flow over-saturation loop reaction system, including an over-saturation reaction trough, at least one liquid level control trough, at least two supply devices for raw materials, a stirrer device, a filter device, and valve control devices; an automatic solution concentration monitoring system, for controlling the reactant concentrations; and a waste liquid recycling system, comprising at least two storage troughs, a recycled waste liquid level sensor, a recycled waste liquid sensor, and valve control devices. The present invention also provides a method for liquid phase deposition, comprising the steps of: providing at least two raw materials from said at least two supply devices of said saturation reaction system into said mixture trough; after stirring by said stirrer device until saturation, filtering out unnecessary solid-state particles by using said filter device; providing saturated and filtered liquid by using said pumps through said valve control devices into said over-saturation reaction trough of said steady-flow over-saturation loop reaction system; stopping providing said saturated and filtered liquid when said over-saturation reaction trough is filled up with said saturated and filtered liquid and said saturated and filtered liquid over-flows into said at least one liquid level control trough to a pre-determined level; switching said valve control devices into a state in which said steady-flow over-saturation loop reaction system runs independently; providing a substrate into said over-saturation reaction trough; providing reactants from said at least two supply devices into said over-saturation reaction trough; and depositing a thin film onto said substrate when said saturated liquid becomes over-saturated. During the reaction, the generated particles can be filtered out by said filter device, and the reaction conditions can be controlled by said recycled waste liquid level sensor and said heater so as to obtain high-quality thin films.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for liquid phase deposition, comprises: 
 a saturation reaction system, including a mixture trough, at least two supply devices for raw materials, and valve control devices; and    a steady-flow over-saturation loop reaction system, including an over-saturation reaction trough, at least one liquid level control trough, at least two supply devices for raw materials, and valve control devices connected to said saturation reaction system.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus for liquid phase deposition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said saturation reaction system or said steady-flow over-saturation loop reaction system is provided with an automatic solution concentration monitoring system, comprising at least two automatic solution concentration monitoring devices connected to said mixture trough, said over-saturation reaction trough, and said liquid level control trough so as to monitor the concentration of the solution.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus for liquid phase deposition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein both of said saturation reaction system and said steady-flow over-saturation loop reaction system are provided with a waste liquid recycling system, comprising at least two storage troughs for storing the recycled waste liquids.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus for liquid phase deposition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said saturation reaction system further comprises a stirrer device and a filter device.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus for liquid phase deposition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said steady-flow over-saturation loop reaction system comprises a stirrer device and a filter device.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus for liquid phase deposition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said steady-flow over-saturation loop reaction system comprises a filter, a filter jamming sensor, and a heater.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus for liquid phase deposition as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said waste liquid recycling system comprises a recycled waste liquid level sensor, and a recycled waste liquid sensor.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus for liquid phase deposition as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a leakage sensor for detecting waste liquid leakage.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus for liquid phase deposition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said valves can be manual or automatic.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus for liquid phase deposition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein there are provided with pumps.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus for liquid phase deposition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein in said over-saturation reaction trough and said liquid level control trough allowing over-flow on one side, said saturated solution over-flows from said over-saturation reaction trough into said liquid level control trough when the liquid level of said saturated solution exceeds the height of said over-saturation reaction trough.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus for liquid phase deposition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein in said over-saturation reaction trough and said liquid level control trough allowing over-flow on two opposite sides, said saturated solution over-flows from said over-saturation reaction trough into each of said liquid level control troughs when the liquid level of said saturated solution exceeds the height of said over-saturation reaction trough.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus for liquid phase deposition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein there are provided with a plurality of manual sampling exits with said heaters for examining the operation state of said system.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus for liquid phase deposition as recited in  claim 12 , wherein on the bottom of said two liquid level control troughs there is a interconnection channel to interconnect said two liquid level control troughs and balance the liquid heights in said two liquid level control troughs.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus for liquid phase deposition as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said channel is a □-shaped channel.  
     
     
         16 . An method for liquid phase deposition, comprises the steps of: 
 (a) providing at least two raw materials from said at least two supply devices of said saturation reaction system into said mixture trough;    (b) after stirring by said stirrer device until saturation, filtering out unnecessary solid-state particles by using said filter device;    (c) providing saturated and filtered liquid by using said pumps through said valve control devices into said over-saturation reaction trough of said steady-flow over-saturation loop reaction system;    (d) stopping providing said saturated and filtered liquid when said over-saturation reaction trough is filled up with said saturated and filtered liquid and said saturated and filtered liquid over-flows into said at least one liquid level control trough to a pre-determined level;    (e) switching said valve control devices into a state in which said steady-flow over-saturation loop reaction system runs independently;    (f) providing a substrate into said over-saturation reaction trough;    (g) providing reactants from said at least two supply devices into said over-saturation reaction trough; and    (h) depositing a thin film onto said substrate when said saturated liquid becomes over-saturated.    
     
     
         17 . The method for liquid phase deposition as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising a step (i) changing the operation mode of said valve control devices to an exhaust mode when the concentration of said solution in said over-saturation reaction trough has reached the limitation of said over-saturation reaction trough.  
     
     
         18 . The method for liquid phase deposition as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the operation state of said waste liquid recycling system is examined by a recycled waste liquid level sensor for recycled waste liquid and a recycled waste liquid.  
     
     
         19 . The method for liquid phase deposition as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising a step (j) adding de-ionized water into said over-saturation reaction trough until said over-saturation reaction trough is filled up and said solution over-flows from said over-saturation reaction trough into said liquid level control trough, a step (k) stopping providing said de-ionized water and switching the operation mode of said vale control devices to a loop mode, and a step (1) exhausting waste liquid.  
     
     
         20 . The method for liquid phase deposition as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said step (b) comprises filtering out the generated particles by said filter device.