US4814056A — Apparatus for producing graded-composition coatin…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 169 words

Apparatus for depositing at least one graded composition coating on a surface of at least one substrate where the graded coating includes at least two component materials where the relative percentages of the component materials with respect to each other varies through the thickness of the coating, said apparatus comprising: at least two deposition sources for respectively providing said two component materials; at least one mask having at least one aperture, said mask being disposed between at least one of said two deposition sources and said substrate; and motion effecting means for effecting relative motion betweeen said substrate and said deposition sources where the width of the aperature varies in a direction substantially parallel to said relative motion between the substrate and the deposition sources to thus effect a predetermined variation of said relative percentages of said component materials as a function of at least the shape of the aperture in the mask such that the composition of the graded coating is uniform over the surface of the substrate.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 169 words

Apparatus for depositing at least one graded composition coating on a surface of at least one substrate where the graded coating includes at least two component materials where the relative percentages of the component materials with respect to each other varies through the thickness of the coating, said apparatus comprising: at least two deposition sources for respectively providing said two component materials; at least one mask having at least one aperture, said mask being disposed between at least one of said two deposition sources and said substrate; and motion effecting means for effecting relative motion betweeen said substrate and said deposition sources where the width of the aperature varies in a direction substantially parallel to said relative motion between the substrate and the deposition sources to thus effect a predetermined variation of said relative percentages of said component materials as a function of at least the shape of the aperture in the mask such that the composition of the graded coating is uniform over the surface of the substrate.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 48 words

Apparatus as in claim 1 where the aperture in the mask linearly varies in size in the direction of relative motion of the substrate with respect to the mask so that the amount of material deposited from said one source linearly varies through the thickness of the coating.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 48 words

Apparatus as in claim 1 where the aperture in the mask non-linearly varies in size in the direction of relative motion of the substrate with respect to the mask so that the amount of material deposited from said one source non-linearly varies through the thickness of the coating.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 55 words

Apparatus as in claim 1 where the aperture in the mask varies in size in accordance with a predetermined periodicity in the direction of relative motion of the substrate with respect to the mask so that the amount of material deposited from said one source varies with said periodicity through the thickness of the coating.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 38 words

Apparatus as in claim 1 where said mask is disposed only between said one deposition source and said substrate so that the amount of component material deposited from the other deposition source remains constant through the coating thickness.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 33 words

Apparatus as in claim 1 where said deposition sources are so positioned with respect to the substrate that they respectively deposit the component materials on different areas on the surface of the substrate.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 37 words

Apparatus as in claim 1 where said deposition sources are so positioned with respect to the substrate that they respectively deposit the component materials on areas on the surface of the substrate which at least partially overlap.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 40 words

Apparatus as in claim 1 including means for applying electrical power to said deposition sources including means for varying the powers respectively applied to the sources to thus facilitate said predetermined variation of said relative percentages of said component materials.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 34 words

Apparatus as in claim 1 where each of said deposition sources includes a plurality of sources substantially aligned in the direction of relative motion of the substrate with respect to the plurality of sources.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 21 words

Apparatus as in claim 1 where said deposition sources are stationary and said substrate moves with respect to the deposition sources.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 49 words

Apparatus as in claim 1 including at least one load lock, at least on process chamber in which is included said deposition sources and said mask, at least one exit lock, and means for sequentially feeding the substrate through the load lock, the process chamber, and the exit lock.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 26 words

Apparatus as in claim 11 including a plurality of process chambers for forming a multi-layer coating where the layers are respectively formed in said process chambers.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 19 words

Apparatus as in claim 12 where each layer may be of single or multiple (graded or non-graded) component materials.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 30 words

Apparatus as in claim 1 where said substrate is cylindrical in configuration and said motion effecting means includes means for translating the substrate along its axis by the deposition sources.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 20 words

Apparatus as in claim 14 where said motion effecting means includes means for rotating said cylindrical substrate about its axis.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 30 words

Apparatus as in claim 15 where said deposition sources are so disposed with respect to said substrate that they deposit their respective component materials on different portions of the substrate.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 19 words

Apparatus as in claim 16 where said deposition sources are respectively disposed on substantially opposite sides of the substrate.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 17 words

Apparatus as in claim 14 where said one coating material is metallic and the other is ceramic.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 20 words

Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said substrate includes a substantially flat deposition surface upon which the coating is deposited.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 35 words

Apparatus as in claim 19 where said deposition sources are so positioned with respect to said flat deposition surface that the respective component materials provided by these sources substantially overlap on the flat deposition surface.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 15 words

Apparatus as in claim 1 including a plurality of substrates mounted on a substrate carrier.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 21 words

Apparatus as in claim 21 where said motion effecting means includes means for translating the substrate carrier by the deposition sources.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 21 words

Apparatus as in claim 22 where said motion effecting means includes means for rotating the substrates with respect to the carrier.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 17 words

Apparatus as in claim 22 where said motion effecting means includes means for rotating the substrate carrier.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 25 words

Apparatus as in claim 1 where said deposition sources are selected from the group consisting of cathodic arc devices, sputtering devices, and thermal evaporation devices.

Claim 27

Independent Claim 172 words

An apparatus for depositing at least one graded composition coating on a surface of at least one substrate where the graded coating includes at least two component materials where the relative percentages of the component materials with respect to each other varies through the thickness of the coating, said apparatus comprising: means for directing said two component toward said substrate; means including an aperture for intercepting a portion of at least one of said two component materials prior to said portion reaching the substrate; and means for relatively moving the substrate with respect to the component materials being deposited thereon where the width of the aperture varies in a direction substantially parallel to said relative movement of the substrate with respect to the component materials being deposited thereon to thus effect a predetermined variation of said relative percentage of said component materials as a function of at least said intercepted portion of said one component material such that the composition of the graded coating is uniform over the surface of the substrate.

Claim 28

Independent Claim 172 words

An apparatus for depositing at least one graded composition coating on a surface of at least one substrate where the graded coating includes at least two component materials where the relative percentages of the component materials with respect to each other varies through the thickness of the coating, said apparatus comprising: means for directing said two component toward said substrate; means including an aperture for intercepting a portion of at least one of said two component materials prior to said portion reaching the substrate; and means for relatively moving the substrate with respect to the component materials being deposited thereon where the width of the aperture varies in a direction substantially parallel to said relative movement of the substrate with respect to the component materials being deposited thereon to thus effect a predetermined variation of said relative percentage of said component materials as a function of at least said intercepted portion of said one component material such that the composition of the graded coating is uniform over the surface of the substrate.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 153 words

Apparatus for depositing a coating on at least one substrate where the coating includes at least two component materials where the relative percentages of the component materials with respect to each other varies through the thickness of the coating, said apparatus comprising: at least two deposition sources for respectively providing said two component materials; at least one mask having at least one aperture, said mask being disposed between at least one of said two deposition sources and said substrate; and motion effecting means for effecting relative motion between said substrate and said deposition sources where the aperture in the mask linearly varies in size in the direction of relative motion of the substrate with respect to the mask so that the amount of material deposited from said one source linearly varies through the thickness of the coating such that the composition of the graded coating is uniform over the surface of the substrate.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 153 words

Apparatus for depositing a coating on at least one substrate where the coating includes at least two component materials where the relative percentages of the component materials with respect to each other varies through the thickness of the coating, said apparatus comprising: at least two deposition sources for respectively providing said two component materials; at least one mask having at least one aperture, said mask being disposed between at least one of said two deposition sources and said substrate; and motion effecting means for effecting relative motion between said substrate and said deposition sources where the aperture in the mask linearly varies in size in the direction of relative motion of the substrate with respect to the mask so that the amount of material deposited from said one source linearly varies through the thickness of the coating such that the composition of the graded coating is uniform over the surface of the substrate.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 153 words

Apparatus for depositing a coating on at least one substrate where the coating includes at least two component materials where the relative percentages of the component materials with respect to each other varies through the thickness of the coating, said apparatus comprising: at least two deposition sources for respectively providing said two component materials; at least one mask having at least one aperture, said mask being disposed between at least one of said two deposition sources and said substrate; and motion effecting means for effecting relative motion between said substrate and said deposition sources where the aperture in the mask non-linearly varies in size in the direction of relative motion of the substrate with respect to the mask so that the amount of material deposited from said one source non-linearly varies through the thickness of the coating such that the composition of the graded coating is uniform over the surface of the substrate.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 153 words

Apparatus for depositing a coating on at least one substrate where the coating includes at least two component materials where the relative percentages of the component materials with respect to each other varies through the thickness of the coating, said apparatus comprising: at least two deposition sources for respectively providing said two component materials; at least one mask having at least one aperture, said mask being disposed between at least one of said two deposition sources and said substrate; and motion effecting means for effecting relative motion between said substrate and said deposition sources where the aperture in the mask non-linearly varies in size in the direction of relative motion of the substrate with respect to the mask so that the amount of material deposited from said one source non-linearly varies through the thickness of the coating such that the composition of the graded coating is uniform over the surface of the substrate.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1992-03-20	1992-09-19	1993-03-21	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1996-03-20	1996-09-19	1997-03-21	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2000-03-20	2000-09-19	2001-03-21	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Apparatus for producing graded-composition coatings

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag