US4297387A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Cubic boron nitride preparation
Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute Inc
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Filing: 1980-06-04
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Granted: 1981-10-27
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Expires: 2000-06-04
Abstract
Abstract A deposit of cubic boron nitride is placed on a substrate by an activated reactive evaporation method. The method includes: supporting and heating a substrate in vacuum; evaporating metal vapors into a zone between the substrate and a metals alloy source, said source consisting essentially of at least 60 percent by weight to balance of boron with from 2 to 12 percent by weight of aluminum and at least 0.2 to 24 percent by weight of at least one of cobalt, nickel, manganese, or other aluminide forming element; introducing ammonia gas into the zone; and generating an electrical field in the zone for ionizing the metal vapors and gas atoms in the zone. In the method the substrate generally is heated to a temperature of at least 300° C. with preferred substrate temperatures between about 500° C. and 1100° C., the ammonia gas pressure preferably is about 1×10 -4 torr to 8×10 -3 torr, and a plasma activation in the zone desirably may be provided by employing a deflection electrode maintained at a positive voltage potential and positioned between the substrate and the source of evaporating metal vapors.
Inventors
- 👤 Harry A. Beale
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 19:39
CPC Classifications
C; C04; C04B; C04B35/00; C04B35/515; C04B35/58; C04B35/583; C04B35/5831; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/06; C23C14/0641; C23C14/0647
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
A method for deposition of cubic boron nitride on a substrate, which method comprises the steps of: (a) supporting a substrate in a vacuum and heating the substrate; (b) supplying metal vapors into a zone between the substrate and a metals alloy source, said source consisting essentially of at least 60 percent by weight to a balance of boron with from 2 to 12 percent by weight of aluminum and at least 0.2 to 24 percent by weight of at least one of cobalt, nickel, manganese or other aluminide-forming metal; (c) introducing ammonia gas into said zone; and (d) generating electrical field in said zone ionizing the metal vapors and gas atoms in the zone; whereby a deposit comprised of cubic boron nitride is placed on the surface of said substrate.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
131 words
A method for deposition of cubic boron nitride on a substrate, which method comprises the steps of: (a) supporting a substrate in a vacuum and heating the substrate; (b) supplying metal vapors into a zone between the substrate and a metals alloy source, said source consisting essentially of at least 60 percent by weight to a balance of boron with from 2 to 12 percent by weight of aluminum and at least 0.2 to 24 percent by weight of at least one of cobalt, nickel, manganese or other aluminide-forming metal; (c) introducing ammonia gas into said zone; and (d) generating electrical field in said zone ionizing the metal vapors and gas atoms in the zone; whereby a deposit comprised of cubic boron nitride is placed on the surface of said substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 including directing an electron beam onto the metals alloy source for providing the metal vapors by evaporation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate is heated to between about 500° C. and 1100° C.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the ammonia is introduced in an amount providing a gas partial pressure between about 1×10 -4 torr to 8×10 -3 torr in said zone.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 4 involving generating of the electrical field in said zone through imposing a voltage potential positive with respect to said source on a deflection electrode positioned between the substrate and the metals alloy source.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
155 words
A method for deposition of cubic boron nitride on a substrate by reactive evaporation, which method comprises the steps of: (a) supporting a substrate in a vacuum and heating the substrate to about 1000° C.; (b) evaporating metal vapors into a zone between the substrate and a metals alloy source by impinging an electron beam of about 0.3 amperes and a voltage of about 10 kilovolts onto the metals alloy source, said source consisting essentially of 10 percent by weight aluminum, 10 percent by weight of cobalt, 10 percent by weight of nickel, and balance boron; (c) introducing ammonia gas amounting to about 4×10 -4 torr partial pressure into said zone; (d) generating a low voltage electrical field in said zone ionizing the metal vapors and gas atoms in the zone and deflecting electrons to said zone; whereby a deposit comprised predominantly of cubic boron nitride then is deposited on the surface of said substrate.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
155 words
A method for deposition of cubic boron nitride on a substrate by reactive evaporation, which method comprises the steps of: (a) supporting a substrate in a vacuum and heating the substrate to about 1000° C.; (b) evaporating metal vapors into a zone between the substrate and a metals alloy source by impinging an electron beam of about 0.3 amperes and a voltage of about 10 kilovolts onto the metals alloy source, said source consisting essentially of 10 percent by weight aluminum, 10 percent by weight of cobalt, 10 percent by weight of nickel, and balance boron; (c) introducing ammonia gas amounting to about 4×10 -4 torr partial pressure into said zone; (d) generating a low voltage electrical field in said zone ionizing the metal vapors and gas atoms in the zone and deflecting electrons to said zone; whereby a deposit comprised predominantly of cubic boron nitride then is deposited on the surface of said substrate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 6 employing the substrate which is stainless steel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 7 involving generating of the electrical field in said zone through imposing a potential of about +20 volts with respect to said source on a deflection electrode positioned between the substrate and the metals alloy source.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the supplying of the metal vapors includes any of the following of an electron beam, evaporation reactive sputtering, reactive ion plating, cathode reactive evaporation, or plasma enhanced thermal evaporation.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1984-10-26 | 1985-04-27 | 1985-10-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-10-26 | 1989-04-27 | 1989-10-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-10-26 | 1993-04-27 | 1993-10-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |