Particle deposition system with enhanced speed and diameter accuracy

Abstract

In a method for depositing particles onto a substrate a flow of gas containing particles is provided along a flow path that bypasses a deposition chamber. The flow path may direct the flow of the gas containing the particles to a vacuum. To deposit particles onto a substrate in the deposition chamber, the flow path of the gas containing the particles is diverted into the deposition chamber so that particles are deposited onto the substrate. After a desired amount of particles have been deposited onto the substrate, the flow path of the flow of the gas containing the particles is changed to the flow path that bypasses the deposition chamber. A particle deposition system and a method for maintaining particle diameter during deposition of particles onto a substrate also are described.

1 . A method for depositing particles onto a substrate, comprising: 
 providing a flow of a gas containing particles into a vacuum, the vacuum being configured to prevent the flow of the gas containing the particles from entering a deposition chamber coupled in flow communication with the vacuum without drawing any significant amount of air from the deposition chamber; and    diverting the flow of the gas containing the particles from the vacuum to the deposition chamber to cause particles to be deposited onto a substrate disposed in the deposition chamber.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, after a desired amount of particles have been deposited onto the substrate, the method further comprises: 
 diverting the flow of the gas containing the particles from the deposition chamber to the vacuum.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the operation of diverting the flow of the gas containing the particles from the vacuum to the deposition chamber includes: 
 interrupting the flow communication between the vacuum and the flow of the gas containing the particles.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flow to the vacuum matches or slightly exceeds the flow of the gas containing the particles into the deposition chamber.  
     
     
         5 . A method for depositing particles onto a substrate, comprising: 
 providing a flow of gas containing particles along a flow path that bypasses a deposition chamber; and    changing the flow path of the flow of the gas containing the particles so that the flow of the gas containing the particles causes particles to be deposited onto a substrate disposed in the deposition chamber.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein, after a desired amount of particles have been deposited onto the substrate, the method further comprises: 
 changing the flow path of the flow of the gas containing the particles to the flow path that bypasses the deposition chamber.    
     
     
         7 . A method for depositing particles onto a substrate, comprising: 
 disposing a substrate in a deposition chamber;    depositing particles onto the substrate in accordance with a first set of deposition parameters; and    without removing the substrate from the deposition chamber, depositing particles onto the substrate in accordance with a second set of deposition parameters.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first set of deposition parameters includes a first particle size and a first spot location for the deposition and the second set of deposition parameters includes the first particle size and a second spot location for the deposition.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first set of deposition parameters includes a first particle size and a first spot location for the deposition and the second set of deposition parameters includes a second particle size and a second spot location for the deposition.  
     
     
         10 . A method for maintaining particle diameter during deposition of particles onto a substrate, comprising: 
 flowing gases into a differential mobility analyzer having a slit for passing particles therethrough, at least one of the gases flowing into the differential mobility analyzer containing particles;    monitoring the gas flows into and out of the differential mobility analyzer; and    periodically adjusting a voltage applied to the differential mobility analyzer so that a particle diameter passed through the slit remains substantially constant.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the operation of monitoring the gas flows into and out of the differential mobility analyzer includes: 
 measuring a pressure differential across an orifice located before the differential mobility analyzer; and    measuring a pressure differential across an orifice located after the differential mobility analyzer.