US4486462A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for coating by glow discharge
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
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Filing: 1982-05-12
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Granted: 1984-12-04
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Expires: 2002-05-12
Abstract
Abstract A gaseous compound of a metal species or a semi-metal species is reacted with another gaseous substance capable of reacting with the gaseous compound of the metal or semi-metal species under a total pressure of not more than 10 Torr, where the partial pressure of the gaseous compound is not more than that of the gaseous substance, the reacting being carried out by the glow discharge generated between an electroconductive workpiece connected to a cathode, at least one secondary cathode provided at a position near enough to the workpiece to generate interactions of glow discharge between at least selected portions of the workpiece and the at least one secondary cathode, and an anode, thereby coating the at least selected portions of the workpiece with the resulting reaction product containing the metal or semi-metal species.
Inventors
- 👤 Naotatsu Asahi
- 👤 Shizuka Yamaguchi
- 👤 Yoshitaka Kojima
- 👤 Katsuyoshi Terakado
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 13:06
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/04; C23C16/44; C23C16/50; C23C16/505; C23C16/509; C23C28/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
A method for coating an electroconductive workpiece by glow discharge, which comprises reacting a gaseous compound of a metal species or a semi-metal species with another gaseous substance capable of forming a reaction product containing the metal or semi-metal species by reaction with said gaseous compound, under a total pressure of not more than 10 Torr, the partial pressure of said gaseous compound being not more than that of said gaseous substance, said reacting being carried out by the glow discharge generated between an electroconductive workpiece connected to a cathode, at least one secondary cathode positioned near enough to the workpiece to generate interactions of glow discharge between at least selected portions of the workpiece and the at least one secondary cathode, and an anode, thereby coating said at least selected portions of the workpiece with said reaction product.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
139 words
A method for coating an electroconductive workpiece by glow discharge, which comprises reacting a gaseous compound of a metal species or a semi-metal species with another gaseous substance capable of forming a reaction product containing the metal or semi-metal species by reaction with said gaseous compound, under a total pressure of not more than 10 Torr, the partial pressure of said gaseous compound being not more than that of said gaseous substance, said reacting being carried out by the glow discharge generated between an electroconductive workpiece connected to a cathode, at least one secondary cathode positioned near enough to the workpiece to generate interactions of glow discharge between at least selected portions of the workpiece and the at least one secondary cathode, and an anode, thereby coating said at least selected portions of the workpiece with said reaction product.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein the partial pressure of said gaseous compound is not more than 0.5 Torr, and that of said gaseous substance is not less than 0.5 Torr.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein an ionization gas and a carrier gas are present during said reacting.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method according to claim 3, wherein the ionization gas is nitrogen gas or hydrogen gas and the carrier gas is at least one member of the group consisting of argon gas and hydrogen gas.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
181 words
A method for coating an electroconductive workpiece by glow discharge, which comprises reacting a gaseous compound of a metal species or a semi-metal species with another gaseous substance capable of forming a reaction product containing the metal or semi-metal species by reaction with said gaseous compound, under a total pressure of not more than 10 Torr, and the partial pressure of said gaseous compound being not more than that of said gaseous substance, said reacting being carried out by the glow discharge generated between an electroconductive workpiece connected to a cathode, at least one secondary cathode positioned near enough to the workpiece to generate interactions by glow discharge between at least selected portions of the workpiece and the at least one secondary cathode, and an anode, while relatively moving the supply direction of said gaseous compound of the metal or semi-metal species and the workpiece during the reaction, thereby making uniform contact of said gaseous compound of a metal or a semi-metal species with the workpiece and thereby coating said at least selected portions of the workpiece with said reaction product.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
181 words
A method for coating an electroconductive workpiece by glow discharge, which comprises reacting a gaseous compound of a metal species or a semi-metal species with another gaseous substance capable of forming a reaction product containing the metal or semi-metal species by reaction with said gaseous compound, under a total pressure of not more than 10 Torr, and the partial pressure of said gaseous compound being not more than that of said gaseous substance, said reacting being carried out by the glow discharge generated between an electroconductive workpiece connected to a cathode, at least one secondary cathode positioned near enough to the workpiece to generate interactions by glow discharge between at least selected portions of the workpiece and the at least one secondary cathode, and an anode, while relatively moving the supply direction of said gaseous compound of the metal or semi-metal species and the workpiece during the reaction, thereby making uniform contact of said gaseous compound of a metal or a semi-metal species with the workpiece and thereby coating said at least selected portions of the workpiece with said reaction product.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method according to claim 5, wherein the workpiece is rotated.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 5, wherein said gaseous compound of metal species is supplied to said at least selected portions of the workpiece through a rotary gas distributing means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method according to claim 1 or 5, wherein said gaseous compound and said gaseous substances are continuously supplied between the at least one secondary cathode and the workpiece while continuously withdrawing the resulting reaction gas from therebetween, thereby preventing stagnation of the resulting reaction gas therebetween.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method according to claim 1 or 5, wherein the total pressure is 2-7 Torr.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
146 words
A method for coating an electroconductive workpiece by glow discharge, which comprises pretreating selected portions of an electroconductive workpiece and then reacting a gaseous compound of a metal species or semi-metal species with another gaseous substance capable of forming a reaction product containing the metal of semi-metal species by reaction with said gaseous compound, under a total pressure of not more than 10 Torr, the partial pressure of said gaseous compound being not more than that of said gaseous substance, said reacting being carried out by the glow discharge generated between the workpiece connected to a cathode, at least one secondary cathode positioned near enough to the workpiece to generate interactions of glow discharge between at least selected portions of the workpiece and the at least one secondary cathode, and an anode, thereby coating said at least selected portions of the workpiece with said reaction product.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
146 words
A method for coating an electroconductive workpiece by glow discharge, which comprises pretreating selected portions of an electroconductive workpiece and then reacting a gaseous compound of a metal species or semi-metal species with another gaseous substance capable of forming a reaction product containing the metal of semi-metal species by reaction with said gaseous compound, under a total pressure of not more than 10 Torr, the partial pressure of said gaseous compound being not more than that of said gaseous substance, said reacting being carried out by the glow discharge generated between the workpiece connected to a cathode, at least one secondary cathode positioned near enough to the workpiece to generate interactions of glow discharge between at least selected portions of the workpiece and the at least one secondary cathode, and an anode, thereby coating said at least selected portions of the workpiece with said reaction product.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method according to claim 10, wherein the pretreatment is carburizing, nitriding, boriding, sulfurizing or carburizing-nitriding.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
68 words
The method according to claim 1, 5 or 10, wherein said gaseous compound is a halide of Ti, Cr, Ni, Si, Al, Zr, B, Hf, V, W, or Ta, said gaseous substance is CH 4 , N 2 , silane or borane, and the reaction product as a coating is a nitride, carbide or boride of Ti, Cr, Ni, Si, Al, Zr, B, Hf, V, W or Ta.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 1, 5 or 10, wherein said at least one secondary cathode substantially surrounds the at least selected portions of the workpiece.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method according to claim 1,5 or 10, whereby a plurality of secondary cathodes are utilized and positioned to generate interactions by glow discharge between the secondary cathodes and between the secondary cathodes and the workpieces.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 1, 5 or 10, wherein said at least one secondary cathode has a discontinuous surface.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method according to claim 15, wherein said discontinuous surface includes perforations, with said perforations having a size of 0.5-7 mm in diameter.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method according to claim 1, 5 or 10, wherein said at least one secondary cathode is positioned to provide interactions of glow discharge around the workpiece, thereby coating the workpiece with the resulting reaction product.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
DE146964C
Cited
US3190772A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-12-04 | 1988-06-04 | 1988-12-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-12-04 | 1992-06-04 | 1992-12-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-12-04 | 1996-06-04 | 1996-12-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |