EP0607987A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Method of making diamond film and use of same
Assignee: Saint Gobain Abrasives Inc
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Filing: 1994-01-21
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-01-21
Abstract
Abstract Polycrystalline diamond film material obtainable by chemical vapor deposition has an optical absorbence of less than 10 per centimeter and a lateral thermal conductivity by conveying wave of at least about 13 watts per centimeter per degree Celsius. The diamond film with substantially no non-diamond carbon and a high thermal conductivity is deposited by means of a direct current arc jet apparatus with a substrate temperature below about 975 degrees Celsius, an arc power of between about 20 and 40 kw. a pressure of about 1.60 kPa (12 torr), and an enthalpy greater than 30 from a activated gas jet fed with hydrogen and methane, the methane being supplied at a concentration of less than 0.07%. The resulting material has a high transparency and thermal conductivity. Also disclosed is the use of the diamond material made by the present method for cutting tool applications, particularly milling.
Inventors
- 👤 Louis K. Bigelow
- 👤 Kevin J. Gray
- 👤 Grant Lu
- 👤 Matthew A. Simpson
- 👤 Gordon L. Cann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 20:34
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/22; C23C16/26; C23C16/27; C23C16/276; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
38 words
Polycrystalline diamond film material obtainable by chemical vapor deposition having an optical absorbance of less than 10 per centimeter and a lateral thermal conductivity by converging wave of at least about 13 watts per centimeter per degree Celsius.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
57 words
Polycrystalline diamond film material obtainable by chemical vapor deposition having an optical absorbance of less than 10 per centimeter, a lateral thermal conductivity by steady state measurement of at least 16 watts per centimeter per degree Celsius, and a perpendicular thermal conductivity by laser flash measurement of at least about 21 watts per centimeter per degree Celsius.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The material of claim 1 or 2 for which the optical absorbance is measured at a visible wavelength.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The material of claim 3 for which the optical absorbance is measured at about 550 nanometer wavelength.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
82 words
A method of making diamond especially according to any one of the preceding claims, by chemical vapor deposition, comprising: disposing a deposition substrate in an evacuated deposition chamber; generating in contact with the substrate an activated gas comprising active species of a facilitating gas and of a carbon source gas in the deposition chamber, the relative proportions of the carbon source gas and the facilitating gas being substantially the proportional equivalent of less than 0.07% methane where the facilitating gas is hydrogen.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 5, wherein the apparatus is an arc jet.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of depositing polycrystalline diamond film, especially according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising the steps of: generating a gas mixture of activated species by injecting a facilitating gas into the active space of an electric arc in a space between an anode and a cathode to form a plasma with an enthalpy level, the plasma being free to travel from the space through a nozzle and to a deposition substrate in an evacuated deposition chamber adjoining the space; injecting a carbon source gas into the activated gas in an amount equal to less than 0.07% of the injected hydrogen, and controlling the power of the arc so that the substrate temperature during deposition is below about 975 degrees Celsius.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the space between anode and cathode is a barrel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 4 or 5, wherein the facilitating gas is hydrogen and the temperature of the substrate is less than 975 degrees Celsius.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
22 words
The method of any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein the temperature of the substrate is less than 975 degrees Celsius.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
41 words
The method of any one of claims 5 to 10, wherein the facilitating gas is hydrogen and the carbon source gas is methane and is added at a concentration of 0.05% of the total volume of the hydrogen and methane added.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
35 words
The method of any one of claims 6 to 11, wherein a portion of the hydrogen is injected at a cathode of the arc and the remainder is injected at an anode of the arc.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 12, comprising injecting the portion of the hydrogen injected at the cathode at a rate which results in an enthalpy of at least about 30 kilo-joules per gram in the hydrogen which is present between the cathode and the anode.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
27 words
The method of any one of claims 5 to 13, wherein the temperature of the substrate is between about 850, preferably 900 and about 950 degrees Celsius.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
24 words
The method of any one of claims 5 to 14, wherein the pressure in the deposition chamber is less than 2.13 kPa (16 torr).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 15, wherein the pressure in the deposition chamber is between 1.33 and 2.67 kPa (10 and 20 torr).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 16, wherein the pressure in the deposition chamber is about 1.60 kPa (12 torr).
Claim 18
Independent Claim
23 words
The method of any one of claims 14 to 17, wherein the temperature of the substrate is between 900 and 910 degrees Celsius.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
Use of the diamond of any one of claims 1 to 4 or obtained by a process of any one of claims 5 to 18 in an abrasive or a cutting tool.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
53 words
A cutting tool, comprising a tool body including a cutter portion, the cutter portion having a cutting face and a rake face adjoining each other at a cutting edge, the cutter portion at the cutting edge being of chemical vapor deposited diamond film having an optical absorbance of less than 10 per centimeter.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The cutting tool of claim 20, wherein the tool body is a round tool and the cutter portion is a piece of free-standing diamond film.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
The cutting tool of claim 20 or 21, wherein the diamond film cutter portion is free-standing diamond film bonded to a cutter element which is mechanically fixed to the tool body.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
36 words
The cutting tool of any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein the tool body is a milling tool and the cutter portion is brazed to a cutting tool insert mechanically fixed to the tool body.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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