US Patent 7784306 Material deposition

An apparatus for and method of depositing material on a substrate, the method comprising the steps of: delivering from a first outlet a stream of droplets of a precursor liquid towards a substrate; applying an electric field between the first outlet and the substrate; and delivering from a second outlet a flow of fuel about the stream of droplets such as to provide an annular flame combustion region between the first outlet and the substrate through which at least a portion of the stream of droplets passes before reaching the substrate, whereby the precursor liquid is one or both of chemically reacted and decomposed to provide the deposited material.