Various embodiments provide Molten Target Sputtering (MTS) methods and devices. The various embodiments may provide increases in the kinetic energy, increases in the energy latency, and/or increases in the flux density of molecules for better crystal formation at low temperature operation. The various embodiment MTS methods and devices may enable the growth of a single crystal Si.sub.1-xGe.sub.x film on a substrate heated to less than about 500 C. The various embodiment MTS methods and devices may provide increases in the kinetic energy, increases in the energy latency, and/or increases in the flux density of molecules without requiring the addition of extra systems.

A high throughput deposition apparatus includes a process chamber, a plurality of targets that form a first closed loop in the process chamber, wherein the first closed loop includes a long dimension defined by at least a first pair of targets and a short dimension defined by at least a second pair of targets, a first substrate carrier assembly that can hold one or more substrates and configured to receive a deposition material from the plurality of targets in the first closed loop, and a transport mechanism that can move the first substrate carrier assembly along an axial direction through the first closed loop in the first process chamber.

A magnetically enhanced HDP-CVD plasma source includes a hollow cathode target and an anode. The anode and cathode form a gap. A cathode target magnet assembly forms magnetic field lines that are substantially perpendicular to a cathode target surface. The gap magnet assembly forms a cusp magnetic field in the gap that is coupled with the cathode target magnetic field. The magnetic field lines cross a pole piece electrode positioned in the gap. This pole piece is isolated from ground and can be connected with a voltage power supply. The pole piece can have a negative, positive, or floating electric potential. The plasma source can be configured to generate volume discharge. The gap size prohibits generation of plasma discharge in the gap. By controlling the duration, value and a sign of the electric potential on the pole piece, the plasma ionization can be controlled. The magnetically enhanced HDP-CVD source can also be used for chemically enhanced ionized physical vapor deposition (CE-IPVD). Gas flows through the gap between hollow cathode and anode. The cathode target is inductively grounded, and the substrate is periodically inductively grounded.

An ion source with an insertable target holder for holding a solid dopant material is disclosed. The insertable target holder includes a hollow interior into which the solid dopant material is disposed. The target holder has a porous surface at a first end, through which vapors from the solid dopant material may enter the arc chamber. The porous surface inhibits the passage of liquid or molten dopant material into the arc chamber. The target holder is also constructed such that it may be refilled with dopant material when the dopant material within the hollow interior has been consumed. The porous surface may be a portion of a perforated crucible, a portion of a perforated retention cap, or a porous insert.

A film-forming apparatus having a simple and downsized structure is provided. The film-forming apparatus includes at least one target having an opposing face that opposes a substrate, a plurality of target holders each detachably holding the target, a cooling unit that cools a plurality of the target holders, and at least one cooling panel. The at least one cooling panel includes a held part held by the target holder, and a heat receiving part having a heat receiving face that opposes the substrate with the held part held by the target holder and receives radiation heat emitted from the substrate. The held part transfers heat from the heat receiving face to the target holder. Each target holder selectively holds the target or the cooling panel.

Disclosed is a stage including a first supporting plate, a second supporting plate under the first supporting plate, a shaft under the second supporting plate and overlapping with the first supporting plate and the second supporting plate, and at least one sheath heater passing through the second supporting plate. The at least one sheath heater is arranged so as to extend on a first surface and a second surface which are parallel to an upper surface of the second supporting plate and which are different in distance from the first supporting plate from each other.

A hybrid additive manufacturing system a build chamber, a polymer additive manufacturing system housed within the build chamber and a physical vapor deposition (PVD) system housed within the build chamber. A controller is configured to issue control signals to the polymer additive manufacturing system and PVD system for layered deposition of polymer and PVD layers in a multilayer part.

A target replacement apparatus for use in replacement of a sputtering target, the sputtering target being used to carry out surface treatment by a physical vapor deposition method on a material to be surface-treated that is situated in a reduced pressure space of a chamber, the target replacement apparatus includes a target retaining portion retaining the sputtering target; an attachment and detachment mechanism used to detachably attach the target retaining portion to the chamber at a position where the sputtering target faces the material to be surface-treated that is situated in the reduced pressure space; and an isolating mechanism operable to isolate the target retaining portion attached to the chamber from the reduced pressure space in an openable and closable manner.

A magnetically enhanced low temperature high density plasma chemical vapor deposition (LT-HDP-CVD) source has a hollow cathode target and an anode, which form a gap. A cathode target magnet assembly forms magnetic field lines substantially perpendicular to the cathode surface. A gap magnet assembly forms a magnetic field in the gap that is coupled with the cathode target magnetic field. The magnetic field lines cross the pole piece electrode positioned in the gap. The pole piece is isolated from ground and can be connected to a voltage power supply. The pole piece can have negative, positive, floating, or RF electrical potentials. By controlling the duration, value, and sign of the electric potential on the pole piece, plasma ionization can be controlled. Feed gas flows through the gap between the hollow cathode and anode. The cathode can be connected to a pulse power or RF power supply, or cathode can be connected to both power supplies. The cathode target and substrate can be inductively grounded.

A method of forming a high strength aluminum alloy. The method comprises heating an aluminum material including scandium to a solutionizing temperature of the aluminum material such that scandium is dispersed throughout the aluminum material to form an aluminum alloy. The method further comprises extruding the aluminum alloy with equal channel angular extrusion to form a high strength aluminum alloy, such that the high strength aluminum alloy has a yield strength greater than about 40 ksi after being at a temperature from about 300 C. to about 400 C. for at least one hour.