EP0099725A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
High pressure, non-local thermal equilibrium arc plasma generating apparatus for deposition of coatings upon substrates
Assignee: Standard Oil Co
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Filing: 1983-07-13
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2003-07-13
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for generating an arc plasma in a non-local thermal equilibrium and an apparatus for the deposition of a material upon a substrate comprising the above are disclosed. Referring to the accompanying illustrative drawing, a closed chamber (25) is defined by a cylindrical anode (11) and annular housings (21, 22) carrying transparent end plates (23, 24). A pencil-shaped cathode (12) is passed through one end plate (23) coaxially into chamber (25) so that its tapered end (20) is spatially proximate to an exit orifice (44) centrally located in anode (11). Gas ports (30,31) permit the introduction of a preselected gaseous environment at the desired pressure into chamber (25). A low- current arc is struck between anode (11) and cathode (12) establishing the desired plasma. Two coils (33, 34) are coaxially placed radially outward of both ends of the chamber in a Hemholtz coil configuration to generate a uniform magnetic field in chamber (25) and induce rotation of the arc plasma. The coating material is introduced into the plasma as by a reservoir (40) in cathode (12) and its excited species ejected through exit orifice (44) in a plasma jet for deposition upon substrate adjacent thereto. The apparatus generates a non-local thermal equilibrium arc plasma at the relatively high pressure of at least 1 atmosphere. The present invention provides advantages over the prior art.
Inventors
- 👤 Vladimir Vukanovic
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 05:03
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01J; B01J19/00; B01J19/08; H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32009; H01J37/32055; C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/22; C23C14/24; C23C14/32; C23C14/325
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
146 words
An apparatus for generating an arc plasma in a non-local thermal equilibrium characterised in that it comprises: first electrode means for establishing field conditions in which the arc plasma may exist; second electrode means for establishing field conditions in which the arc plasma may exist, the second electrode means proximate the first electrode means; means for establishing a magnetic field in the region of the first electrode means and the second electrode means to induce motion of the arc plasma; means for establishing and maintaining at least in a region between the first electrode means and the second electrode means a preselected gaseous environment at a pressure of at least 0.1 atmosphere; and means for generating an electrical current of at least 0.5 amperes between the first electrode means and the second electrode means so as to maintain non-local thermal equilibrium conditions in the arc plasma.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
146 words
An apparatus for generating an arc plasma in a non-local thermal equilibrium characterised in that it comprises: first electrode means for establishing field conditions in which the arc plasma may exist; second electrode means for establishing field conditions in which the arc plasma may exist, the second electrode means proximate the first electrode means; means for establishing a magnetic field in the region of the first electrode means and the second electrode means to induce motion of the arc plasma; means for establishing and maintaining at least in a region between the first electrode means and the second electrode means a preselected gaseous environment at a pressure of at least 0.1 atmosphere; and means for generating an electrical current of at least 0.5 amperes between the first electrode means and the second electrode means so as to maintain non-local thermal equilibrium conditions in the arc plasma.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
157 words
An apparatus for the deposition of a material upon a substrate characterised in that it comprises: means for generating an arc plasma in a non-local thermal equilibrium comprising first electrode means for establishing field conditions in which the arc plasma may exist and second electrode means for establishing field conditions in which the arc plasma may exist, the second electrode means proximate first electrode means; means for establishing a magnetic field in the region of the first electrode means and the second electrode means to induce motion of the arc plasma; means for establishing and maintaining at least in a region between the first electrode means and the second electrode means a preselected gaseous environment at a pressure of at least 0.1 atmosphere; and means for generating an electrical current of at least 0.5 amperes between the first electrode means and the second electrode means so as to maintain non-local thermal equilibrium conditions in the arc plasma.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
157 words
An apparatus for the deposition of a material upon a substrate characterised in that it comprises: means for generating an arc plasma in a non-local thermal equilibrium comprising first electrode means for establishing field conditions in which the arc plasma may exist and second electrode means for establishing field conditions in which the arc plasma may exist, the second electrode means proximate first electrode means; means for establishing a magnetic field in the region of the first electrode means and the second electrode means to induce motion of the arc plasma; means for establishing and maintaining at least in a region between the first electrode means and the second electrode means a preselected gaseous environment at a pressure of at least 0.1 atmosphere; and means for generating an electrical current of at least 0.5 amperes between the first electrode means and the second electrode means so as to maintain non-local thermal equilibrium conditions in the arc plasma.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,or claim 2 wherein the means for establishing and maintaining a preselected gaseous environment establishes and maintains pressure of from 0.1 to 3 atmospheres.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
35 words
An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the means for establishing and maintaining a preselected gaseous environment comprises sealed chamber means within which the arc plasma is struck and maintained.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
51 words
An apparatus as-claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 wherein the first electrode is a cylindrically shaped hollow anode, the chamber means defined by the anode and comprising end plate means for sealing the ends of.the anode and housing means for mounting of the end plate means to the anode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the housing means comprises port means communicating with the chamber means for the passage of a preselected gaseous environment into the chamber means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6 wherein the housing means comprises orifice means in the chamber means for permitting passage of a jet of the arc plasma exterior to the chamber means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the orifice means is positioned proximate the periphery of the arc plasma.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
36 words
An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8 wherein the second electrode means is a cathode extending into the chamber means and tapered at the end thereof so extended into the chamber means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein the cathode is substantially pencil-shaped and has its tapered end coaxially inserted through the end plate means into the chamber means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10 wherein the cathode is formed of graphite.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
44 words
An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 11 wherein the means for establishing a magnetic field comprises coil means for generating a uniform magnetic field whose principal longitudinal flux axis is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the first electrode means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
45 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein the coil means generates a stationary magnetic field having flux lines at right angles to all points along the perimeter of the first electrode means, whereby rotation of the arc plasma within the chambe-r means is induced.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
50 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13 wherein the first electrode means is a cylindrically-shaped hollow anode and the coil means comprises a first toroidal coil and a second toroidal coil positioned in longitudinal axial alignment with the anode radially outward of the ends of the anode.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
18 words
An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 14 wherein the anode is formed of graphite.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus-as claimed in claim 14 wherein the means for establishing a magnetic field further comprises a direct current source furnishing electrical power to first coil and the second coil.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
27 words
An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 16 wherein the means for establishing a magnetic field includes means for generating a time-variant magnetic field.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
57 words
An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 17 wherein the means for generating a current is electrically connected to the first electrode means and the second electrode means and comprises means for generating a high voltage impulse to effect initial striking of an arc between the first electrode means and the second electrode means.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 2 to 18 further comprising means to introduce species of a material of interest into the arc plasma.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
47 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 19 wherein the means to introduce species comprises reservoir means bored into the second electrode means proximate to the region in the chamber means where the arc plasma exists, a quantity of the material of interest being placed within the reservoir.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 19 or claim 20 wherein the means to introduce species includes passageway means through the second electrode means for continuously passing the material of interest into the chamber means in the region where the arc plasma exists.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 19 wherein the means to introduce species comprises a quantity of the material of interest formed with the second electrode means.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
36 words
An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 2 to 22 further comprising means for directing at least a portion of the arc plasma toward a substrate upon which the material of interest may be deposited.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 23 wherein the means for directing comprises orifice means in the chamber means for permitting the passage of a jet of the arc plasma toward the substrate exterior to the chamber means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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