The CVD method involves the exposure of a substrate, such as water, to one or multiple compounds, called precursors, used specifically to create another compound in a chemical reaction. These precursors generate a reaction on the substrate substance and/or generate chemical decomposition on that substance producing the CVD deposit.
The CVD method often produces byproducts or a secondary deposit derived from a chemical reaction which typically takes the form of a volatile waste product. The passage of gas through the reaction chamber used in the CVD method removes the byproducts.
Microfabrication, also referred to as micromanufacturing, refers to the construction or fabrication of miniature-size structures often measured in microns or smaller. A micron is equivalent to one-millionth of a millimeter. The CVD method is often used in microfabrication to produce materials such as tungsten, carbon fiber, filaments and silicon.