EP0286306A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Method and apparatus for vapor deposition of diamond
Assignee: Fujitsu Ltd
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Filing: 1988-03-30
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-03-30
Abstract
Abstract A method for vapor deposition of diamond by: effecting an arc discharge while feeding a discharge gas (3) between an anode (1) and a cathode (2) of a thermal plasma chemical vapor deposition device; radicalizing a gaseous carbon compound (4) by feeding the gaseous carbon compound to a generated plasma jet (6); and permitting said radicalized plasma jet (6) to impinge on a substrate (7) to be treated, whereby a film of diamond is formed on said substrate.
Inventors
- 👤 Kazuaki Kurihara
- 👤 Kenichi Sasaki
- 👤 Motonobu Kawarada
- 👤 Nagaaki Koshino
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 19:57
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/22; C23C14/24; C23C16/00; C23C16/22; C23C16/26; C23C16/27; C23C16/276; C23C16/277; C23C16/44; C23C16/50; C23C16/513; C30; C30B; C30B25/00; C30B25/02; C30B29/00; C30B29/02; C30B29/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 50
Claim 1
Independent Claim
71 words
A method for a vapor deposition of diamond comprising the steps of: effecting an arc discharge while feeding a discharge gas between an anode and a cathode of a thermal plasma chemical vapor deposition device; radicalizing a gaseous carbon compound by feeding the gaseous compound to a generated plasma jet; and permitting said radicalized plasma jet to impinge on a substrate to be treated, to thereby form diamond on said substrate.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
71 words
A method for a vapor deposition of diamond comprising the steps of: effecting an arc discharge while feeding a discharge gas between an anode and a cathode of a thermal plasma chemical vapor deposition device; radicalizing a gaseous carbon compound by feeding the gaseous compound to a generated plasma jet; and permitting said radicalized plasma jet to impinge on a substrate to be treated, to thereby form diamond on said substrate.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
86 words
A method for a vapor deposition of diamond by direct current arc discharge comprising the steps of: feeding a gas containing hydrogen and a gaseous carbon compound into a thermal plasma generating device having an anode and a cathode; radicalizing the gas by direct current arc discharge between the electrodes; jetting the thermal plasma as a plasma jet into a reduced pressure chamber; and quenching the plasma jet by permitting said plasma jet to impinge on a cooled substrate, to thereby deposit diamond on the substrate.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
86 words
A method for a vapor deposition of diamond by direct current arc discharge comprising the steps of: feeding a gas containing hydrogen and a gaseous carbon compound into a thermal plasma generating device having an anode and a cathode; radicalizing the gas by direct current arc discharge between the electrodes; jetting the thermal plasma as a plasma jet into a reduced pressure chamber; and quenching the plasma jet by permitting said plasma jet to impinge on a cooled substrate, to thereby deposit diamond on the substrate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to Claim 2, wherein the gaseous carbon compound is a hydrocarbon, or a hydrocarbon containing oxygen, nitrogen or halogen in the molecule.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to Claim 2 or 3, wherein the gas containing hydrogen or the gaseous carbon compound further contains an inert gas, an oxidative gas or a mixture thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to Claim 4, wherein the oxidative gas is oxygen, water, hydrogen peroxide or carbon monooxide.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to Claim 2, 3, 4 or 5, wherein the gas containing hydrogen and the gaseous carbon compound are fed between the electrodes of the thermal plasma generating device.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method according to Claim 2, 3, 4, or 5, wherein the gas containing hydrogen is fed between the electrodes of the thermal plasma generating device, and the gas containing a carbon compound is fed to the plasma jet jetted from between the electrodes.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
36 words
A method according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein a direct arc discharge is effected by using a carbon electrode or a tungsten electrode containing a rare earth element oxide as the electrode.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
104 words
A method for a vapor deposition of diamond comprising the steps of: effecting an arc discharge by applying a direct current between the inner walls of a plurality of nozzles opened in an enclosed body forming an electrode of one polarity and a plurality of electrodes of the other polarity opposed thereto; radicalizing hydrogen and a gas containing a gaseous carbon compound to form a thermal plasma; jetting out the thermal plasma as a plasma jet into a reduced pressure chamber; and quenching the plasma jet by permitting said plasma jet to impinge on a cooled substrate, to thereby deposit diamond on the substate.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
104 words
A method for a vapor deposition of diamond comprising the steps of: effecting an arc discharge by applying a direct current between the inner walls of a plurality of nozzles opened in an enclosed body forming an electrode of one polarity and a plurality of electrodes of the other polarity opposed thereto; radicalizing hydrogen and a gas containing a gaseous carbon compound to form a thermal plasma; jetting out the thermal plasma as a plasma jet into a reduced pressure chamber; and quenching the plasma jet by permitting said plasma jet to impinge on a cooled substrate, to thereby deposit diamond on the substate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to Claim 9, wherein the gaseous carbon compound is a hydrocarbon, or a hydrocarbon containing oxygen, nitrogen or halogen in the molecule.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to Claim 9 or 10, wherein the gas containing hydrogen or the gaseous carbon compound further contains an inert gas, an oxidative gas or a mixture thereof.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to Claim 11, wherein the oxidative gas is oxygen, water, hydrogen peroxide or carbon monooxide.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to Claim 9, 10, 11 or 12, wherein a gas containing hydrogen and a gaseous carbon compound is fed between the electrodes of the thermal plasma generating device.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method according to Claim 9, 10, 11 or 12, wherein a gas containing hydrogen is fed between the electrodes of the thermal plasma generating device, and a gas containing a carbon compound is fed to the plasma jet jetted out from between the electrodes.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
36 words
A method according to any one of claims 9 to 14, wherein direct current arc discharge is effected by using a carbon electrode or a tungsten electrode containing a rare earth element oxide as the electrode.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
134 words
A method for a vapor deposition of diamond comprising the steps of: feeding a gas to a thermal plasma generating device in the form of a torch having an anode and a cathode, radicalizing the gas by a direct current arc discharge between electrodes to form a thermal plasma, jetting the thermal plasma formed as a plasma jet through a nozzle at the tip end of a torch, blowing a cooling gas into the plasma jet to quench the thermal plasma and form an active non-equilibrium plasma containing at least radical products formed by a radicalization of a gaseous carbon compound fed to the plasma jet and having a high concentration of radicals, and bringing a substrate into contact with the non-equilibrium plasma, whereby diamond is deposited in a vapor phase on the substrate.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
134 words
A method for a vapor deposition of diamond comprising the steps of: feeding a gas to a thermal plasma generating device in the form of a torch having an anode and a cathode, radicalizing the gas by a direct current arc discharge between electrodes to form a thermal plasma, jetting the thermal plasma formed as a plasma jet through a nozzle at the tip end of a torch, blowing a cooling gas into the plasma jet to quench the thermal plasma and form an active non-equilibrium plasma containing at least radical products formed by a radicalization of a gaseous carbon compound fed to the plasma jet and having a high concentration of radicals, and bringing a substrate into contact with the non-equilibrium plasma, whereby diamond is deposited in a vapor phase on the substrate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to Claim 16, wherein hydrogen is contained in the feeding gas, the cooling gas or both.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to Claim 16 or 17, wherein the gaseous carbon compound is contained in the feeding gas, the cooling gas or both thereof.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to Claim 16, 17 or 18, wherein the gaseous carbon compound is a hydrocarbon or a hydrocarbon containing oxygen, nitrogen or halogen in the molecule.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to Claim 16, 17, 18 or 19, wherein an inert gas is contained in the feeding gas, the cooling gas or both thereof.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
36 words
A method according to any one of claims 16 to 20, wherein an oxidative gas is contained in the feed gas, the cooling gas, or both thereof fed to the plasma jet jetted from the nozzle.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to Claim 21, wherein the oxidative gas is oxygen, water, hydrogen peroxide, or carbon monoxide.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
37 words
A method according to any one of claims 16 to 22, wherein a direct current arc discharge is effected by using a carbon electrode or a tungsten electrode containing a rare earth element oxide as the electrode.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
271 words
An apparatus for a vapor deposition of diamond comprising: an electrode forming member having a first polarity comprising an enclosed body having a nozzle for jetting thermal plasma opened therein and a discharge gas feed pipe, an electrode forming member having an opposite polarity and positioned to be opposed to said nozzle internally of said enclosed body, a direct current plasma torch having a power source supply system containing a direct current source for applying a direct current voltage between said electrode of the first polarity and said electrode of the opposite polarity and a conductive wire, which feeds a gas through said discharge gas feed pipe between the electrodes to which the direct current voltage is applied, forming said gas into a thermal plasma by the direct current arc discharge between the electrodes and jetting the thermal plasma formed as a plasma jet through said nozzle. a starting gas feeding system for feeding gaseous starting compounds for vapor phase deposition to said plasma jet, a non-equilibrium plasma forming means containing a cooling gas supply means having cooling gas jetting nozzles arranged near said nozzle of said plasma torch for blowing the cooling gas against said plasma jet to quench the thermal plasma and forming an active non-equilibrium plasma containing at least radical products formed by a radicalization of the starting compounds for vapor phase deposition fed to the plasma jet and having a high concentration of radicals, and a substrate supporting mechanism for supporting the substrate in the above non-equilibrium plasma and permitting a thermal plasma chemical vapor deposition film to be deposited in a vapor phase on said substrate.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
271 words
An apparatus for a vapor deposition of diamond comprising: an electrode forming member having a first polarity comprising an enclosed body having a nozzle for jetting thermal plasma opened therein and a discharge gas feed pipe, an electrode forming member having an opposite polarity and positioned to be opposed to said nozzle internally of said enclosed body, a direct current plasma torch having a power source supply system containing a direct current source for applying a direct current voltage between said electrode of the first polarity and said electrode of the opposite polarity and a conductive wire, which feeds a gas through said discharge gas feed pipe between the electrodes to which the direct current voltage is applied, forming said gas into a thermal plasma by the direct current arc discharge between the electrodes and jetting the thermal plasma formed as a plasma jet through said nozzle. a starting gas feeding system for feeding gaseous starting compounds for vapor phase deposition to said plasma jet, a non-equilibrium plasma forming means containing a cooling gas supply means having cooling gas jetting nozzles arranged near said nozzle of said plasma torch for blowing the cooling gas against said plasma jet to quench the thermal plasma and forming an active non-equilibrium plasma containing at least radical products formed by a radicalization of the starting compounds for vapor phase deposition fed to the plasma jet and having a high concentration of radicals, and a substrate supporting mechanism for supporting the substrate in the above non-equilibrium plasma and permitting a thermal plasma chemical vapor deposition film to be deposited in a vapor phase on said substrate.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
115 words
A method for a vapor deposition of a diamond film by effecting an arc discharge by a DC plasma torch having a cathode and an anode while feeding a discharge gas between the cathode and the anode and irradiating the plasma jet formed onto a substrate to be treated to form diamond on said substrate to be treated, which comprises using at least two plasma torches, forming a gas with a higher discharge voltage into a plasma in one torch, forming a reactive gaseous carbon compound with a lower discharge voltage into a plasma in the remaining torch and permitting both plasmas to impinge as a jet onto the substrate, to thereby form diamond thereon.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
115 words
A method for a vapor deposition of a diamond film by effecting an arc discharge by a DC plasma torch having a cathode and an anode while feeding a discharge gas between the cathode and the anode and irradiating the plasma jet formed onto a substrate to be treated to form diamond on said substrate to be treated, which comprises using at least two plasma torches, forming a gas with a higher discharge voltage into a plasma in one torch, forming a reactive gaseous carbon compound with a lower discharge voltage into a plasma in the remaining torch and permitting both plasmas to impinge as a jet onto the substrate, to thereby form diamond thereon.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to Claim 25, wherein the gas with the higher discharge voltage is hydrogen.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to Claim 25 or 26, wherein the gaseous carbon compound is a hydrocarbon or a hydrocarbon containing oxygen, nitrogen, or halogen in the molecule.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method for a vapor deposition of diamond according to claim 25, wherein a plurality of plasma torches are provided, and comprising permitting a plurality of plasma jets generated from the plasma torches to be mutually allowed to impinge on each other to form a carbon source into plasma in said plasma jets to form diamond.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
58 words
A method according to Claim 28, wherein a plurality of plasma torches are used, a carbon compound is formed into a plasma, a plurality of plasma jets are mutually impinged on each other, and this plasma is quenched in said plasma jets and irradiated on a substrate to prepare a uniform and smooth diamond film on the substrate.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
84 words
A method for a vapor deposition of diamond, comprising the steps of: forming a discharge gas by arc discharge and a starting material containing at least a gaseous carbon compound into a thermal plasma; jetting the thermal plasma as a plasma jet; and quenching the plasma jet to deposit diamond on a substrate, at least the gaseous carbon compound which destabilizes said arc discharge being fed to a center of the initiation end of said plasma jet, without passing through said arc discharge portion.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
84 words
A method for a vapor deposition of diamond, comprising the steps of: forming a discharge gas by arc discharge and a starting material containing at least a gaseous carbon compound into a thermal plasma; jetting the thermal plasma as a plasma jet; and quenching the plasma jet to deposit diamond on a substrate, at least the gaseous carbon compound which destabilizes said arc discharge being fed to a center of the initiation end of said plasma jet, without passing through said arc discharge portion.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to Claim 30, wherein the discharge gas is hydrogen, an inert gas, or a mixture thereof.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to Claim 30 or 31, wherein the starting material contains at least one gas selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an inert gas, and an oxidative gas.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to Claim 30, 31 or 32, wherein a minute amount of hydride of boron, nitrogen or phosphorus is contained in the plasma jet.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to Claim 30,31,32 or 33,wherein a diamond film is epitaxially grown on said substrate by permitting the plasma jet to impinge on a diamond substrate.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
110 words
An apparatus according to claim 24,wherein the direct current plasma torch comprises an external electrode for forming an enclosed body, and an internal electrode extending through the external electrode and electrically insulated, said external electrode having a discharge gas feed inlet and jetting nozzle opened, therein the side face of the end portion of said internal electrode being near to the side face of the jetting nozzle of the external electrode to mutually form an arc discharge surface, the starting gas feed hole extending along the center axis of the internal electrode and being opened at the center of the end surface at the end portion of the internal electrode.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to Claim 35, wherein the electrode is a tungsten electrode to which a rare earth element oxide or carbon electrode is added.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
93 words
An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the direct current plasma torch, comprises an enclosed body provided with a discharge gas, a feed pipe of a starting gas and a direct current source conductive wire and having a nozzle for jetting a plasma jet opened therein, characterized in that a plurality of nozzles are opened, the inner walls of the respective nozzles form electrodes the same polarity, and a plurality of electrodes having an opposite polarity are positioned internally of the enclosed body and opposed to the inner walls of the respective nozzles.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
104 words
A hot plasma jet generating device comprising an enclosed body provided with a discharge gas introducing pipe, an introducing pipe of a starting gas or a gas conveying solid particles and a direct current source and conductive wire and having a nozzle for jetting a hot plasma jet opened, characterized in that a plural number of nozzles are opened therein, the inner walls of the respective nozzles form electrodes of the same polarity respectively, and a plural number of electrodes having the other polarity are positioned internally of the enclosed body so as to be opposed to the inner walls of the respective nozzles.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
104 words
A hot plasma jet generating device comprising an enclosed body provided with a discharge gas introducing pipe, an introducing pipe of a starting gas or a gas conveying solid particles and a direct current source and conductive wire and having a nozzle for jetting a hot plasma jet opened, characterized in that a plural number of nozzles are opened therein, the inner walls of the respective nozzles form electrodes of the same polarity respectively, and a plural number of electrodes having the other polarity are positioned internally of the enclosed body so as to be opposed to the inner walls of the respective nozzles.
Claim 47
Independent Claim
46 words
A method for vapor deposition of diamond, comprising the steps of: using a plural number of plasma torches, permitting a plural number of hot plasma jets to mutually impinge on each other to form a carbon source into plasma in said plasma jets to form diamond.
Claim 48
Independent Claim
46 words
A method for vapor deposition of diamond, comprising the steps of: using a plural number of plasma torches, permitting a plural number of hot plasma jets to mutually impinge on each other to form a carbon source into plasma in said plasma jets to form diamond.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
112 words
A plasma jetting device for forming a starting gas into hot plasma by arc discharge comprising an external electrode for forming an enclosed body, and an internal electrode extending through the external electrode with electrical insulation, said external electrode having a discharge gas introducing hole and jetting nozzle opened, said internal electrode having the side face of the end portion being approximate to the side face of the jetting nozzle of the external electrode to mutually form an arc discharge surface, the starting gas introducing hole extending along the center axis of the internal electrode being opened at the center of the end surface at the end portion of the internal electrode.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
112 words
A plasma jetting device for forming a starting gas into hot plasma by arc discharge comprising an external electrode for forming an enclosed body, and an internal electrode extending through the external electrode with electrical insulation, said external electrode having a discharge gas introducing hole and jetting nozzle opened, said internal electrode having the side face of the end portion being approximate to the side face of the jetting nozzle of the external electrode to mutually form an arc discharge surface, the starting gas introducing hole extending along the center axis of the internal electrode being opened at the center of the end surface at the end portion of the internal electrode.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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