LASER CHEMICAL VAPOR-DEPOSITION - A TECHNIQUE FOR SELECTIVE AREA DEPOSITION

Laser chemical vapor deposition (LCVD) employs a focused laser beam to locally heat the substrate and drive the CVD deposition reaction. Several different deposition reactions and substrates have been examined as a function of intensity and irradiation time using a CO//2 laser source: Ni on SiO//2, TiO//2 on SiO//2, TiC on SiO//2, and TiC on stainless steel. LCVD film thicknesses range from less than 100 A to greater than 20 mu m. Deposition rates of mm/min have been observed for LCVD Ni and 20 mu m/min for LCVD TiO//2. The diameter of the deposited films is dependent on irradiation conditions and can be as small as one tenth of the laser beam diameter. The LCVD films exhibit excellent physical properties such as adherence, conductivity, hardness, and smoothness.