EP0503820A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition device
Assignee: Messer LLC
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Filing: 1992-03-03
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-03-03
Abstract
Abstract A plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition device for coating large three-dimensional substrates is provided. The device includes elongated metal rod cathodes 20 each having an aperture 30 at one end that is in communication with a process gas source, with the aperture extending substantially the length of the rod to form a substantially cylindrical bore within the rod, wherein the bore is in communication with the rod exterior through a series of holes 26 in the rod 20, and wherein the diameter of the holes is substantially less than the bore diameter so that the gas pressure is substantially uniform throughout the bore during the deposition process. The rod cathodes, which are situated within an evacuable coating chamber, are arranged in a readily expandable matrix into which substrates 29 to be coated are positioned.
Inventors
- 👤 Milam Pender
- 👤 Joseph Countrywood
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 12:25
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/44; C23C16/455; C23C16/45563; C23C16/45572; C23C16/54; C03; C03C; C03C17/00; C03C17/001; C03C17/003; C03C17/005; C23C16/45578; C23C16/50; C23C16/505; C23C16/509
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
120 words
A chemical vapour deposition device used for coating three dimensional substrates comprising: an evacuable coating chamber; a gas source; an elongated metal rod, within said chamber, having an aperture at one end that is in communication with said gas source, with the aperture extending substantially the length of the rod to form a substantially cylindrical bore within the rod, wherein the bore is in communication with the rod exterior through a series of holes in the rod, and wherein the diameter of the holes is substantially less than the bore diameter so that gas pressure is substantially uniform throughout the bore during the deposition process; and a power source that is connected to said coating chamber and said metal rod.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
28 words
The chemical vapour deposition device as defined in Claim 1 further comprising a heat transfer network to facilitate removal of heat that is generated during the deposition process.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The chemical vapour deposition device as defined in Claim 2 wherein the heat transfer network comprises a coolant manifold in contact with said elongated metal rod.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
89 words
A cathode system useful for distributing gas in a chemical vapour deposition process for coating three dimensional substrates comprising: elongated metal rods arranged in a rectangular matrix having m by n dimensions, wherein m and n are integers equal to or greater than 2, wherein the number of rods in the system is equal to the product of m and n, and wherein the rods are positioned at the matrix vertices and are sufficiently spaced apart so that the individual substrates can be placed in the matrix interstitial spaces.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
92 words
The cathode system as defined in Claim 4 wherein each of said metal rods has an aperture at one end that is in communication with said gas source, with the aperture extending substantially the length of the rod to form a cylindrical bore within the rod, wherein the bore is in communication with the rod exterior through a series of holes in the rod, and wherein the diameter of each hole is substantially less than the bore diameter so that gas pressure is substantially the same throughout the bore during the process.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The cathode system as defined in Claim 5 further comprises a heat transfer network in contact with said metal rod to facilitate removal of heat that is generated during the deposition process.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The cathode system as defined in Claim 6 wherein the heat transfer network comprise a coolant manifold.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of cathodes as defined in Claim 7 wherein the metal rods are connected to a power supply source.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
219 words
A method for depositing a film onto three dimensional substrates in plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition in an evacuable chamber comprising the steps of: providing a process gas source; arranging, within the evacuable chamber, elongated metal rods in a rectangular matrix having m by n dimensions, wherein m and n are integers equal to or greater than 2, wherein the number of rods used is equal to the product of m and n, wherein the rods are positioned at the matrix vertices and are sufficiently spaced apart so that the individual substrates can be placed in the matrix interstitial spaces, and wherein each metal rod has an aperture at one end that is in communication with said gas source, with the aperture extending substantially the length of the rod to form a cylindrical bore within the rod, wherein the bore is in communication with the rod exterior through a series of holes in the rod, and further wherein the diameter of each hole is substantially less than the bore diameter so that gas pressure within the bore is substantially uniform; positioning the substrates at the matrix interstitial spaces; flowing process gas from the process gas source into the evacuable chamber through the holes of the elongated metal rods; and establishing a glow discharge plasma derived from the process gas.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
EP0257620A2
Cited
GB2219311A
Cited
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