US4704299A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process for low temperature curing of sol-gel thin films
Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute Inc
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Filing: 1985-11-06
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Granted: 1987-11-03
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Expires: 2005-11-06
Abstract
Abstract A process for curing and densifying a sol-gel derived inorganic thin film at lower temperatures (between 10° C. and 400° C.) by applying the films to a substrate, drying the film at a low temperature, exposing the film to a low pressure plasma. The film may be an oxide (e.g. SiO 2 ), nitride (e.g. Si 3 N 4 ), oxynitride (e.g. SiO x N y ) or sulfide (e.g. GeS 2 ).
Inventors
- 👤 Roy F. Wielonski
- 👤 Peter J. Melling
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 19:13
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C8/00; C23C8/06; C23C8/36; C23C26/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
146 words
A process for producing a cured and densified thin film comprising: a. coating a substrate with a plasma curable and densifiable film; b. drying the film at ambient temperature; and c. exposing the film to an atmosphere containing a curing and densifying plasma at a low pressure, at a power level, at a temperature below 400° C., and for a time adapted to impart curing and densifying properties to the film; wherein the plasma curable and densifiable film is selected from the group consisting of: a. the oxides of silicon, aluminum, titanium, lead, lanthanum, zirconium, barium titanate and mixtures thereof where the plasma is formed from oxygen or nitrogen; b. the oxynitrides of silicon and aluminum and mixtures thereof where the plasma is formed from nitrogen; and c. the sulfides of titanium and germanium and mixtures thereof where the plasma is formed from H 2 S.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
146 words
A process for producing a cured and densified thin film comprising: a. coating a substrate with a plasma curable and densifiable film; b. drying the film at ambient temperature; and c. exposing the film to an atmosphere containing a curing and densifying plasma at a low pressure, at a power level, at a temperature below 400° C., and for a time adapted to impart curing and densifying properties to the film; wherein the plasma curable and densifiable film is selected from the group consisting of: a. the oxides of silicon, aluminum, titanium, lead, lanthanum, zirconium, barium titanate and mixtures thereof where the plasma is formed from oxygen or nitrogen; b. the oxynitrides of silicon and aluminum and mixtures thereof where the plasma is formed from nitrogen; and c. the sulfides of titanium and germanium and mixtures thereof where the plasma is formed from H 2 S.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The process of claim 1, further comprising exposing the film wherein: a. the low pressure is about 1.3 Pa to about 30 Pa; and b. the power level is about 0.3 KW/m 2 to about 5 KW/m 2 .
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 1 further comprising exposing the film to the plasma at a low temperature below about 150° C.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the atmosphere containing a curing and densifying plasma further comprises a gas containing a dopant gas material.
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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) | 1990-11-02 | 1991-05-04 | 1991-11-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-11-02 | 1995-05-04 | 1995-11-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-11-02 | 1999-05-04 | 1999-11-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |