US5374456A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Surface potential control in plasma processing of materials
Assignee: The AT&T MVPD Group LLC
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Filing: 1992-12-23
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Granted: 1994-12-20
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Expires: 2012-12-23
Abstract
Abstract An object (30) is plasma processed by placing an electrically conducting grid (34) over all or a portion of the surface (32) of the object (30) so that the grid (34) generally follows the contours of the surface (32) but is displaced outwardly from the surface (32). Ions or electrons from a plasma surrounding the object (30) are accelerated into the surface (32) of the object (30) using as a processing driving force an electrical potential applied to the electrically conducting grid (34). The use of a contoured conducting grid (34) allows plasma processing of large, electrically nonconducting objects and objects having sharp surface features or recesses.
Inventors
- 👤 Jesse N. Matossian
- 👤 Robert W. Schumacher
- 👤 David M. Pepper
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 05:09
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C8/00; C23C8/06; C23C8/36; B; B29; B29C; B29C59/00; B29C59/14; C23C14/00; C23C14/22; C23C14/24; C23C14/32; C23C14/48; B29C35/00; B29C35/02; B29C35/08; B29C35/0866; B29C2035/0872; B29C2035/0877
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
122 words
A method or plasma processing an object, comprising the steps of: providing a three-dimensional, irregularly shaped object having a contoured surface; placing an electrically conducting grid over the contoured surface of the object, the grid generally following the three-dimensional contours of the surface but being displaced outwardly from the surface; and plasma processing the surface of the object with charge carriers produced in a plasma, the step of plasma processing including the steps of generating a plasma of charge carriers around and adjacent to the contoured surface of the object, and independently of generating the plasma, applying a plurality of pulses of an electrical accelerating voltage to the grid, the voltage being opposite in polarity to the charge carriers of the plasma.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
122 words
A method or plasma processing an object, comprising the steps of: providing a three-dimensional, irregularly shaped object having a contoured surface; placing an electrically conducting grid over the contoured surface of the object, the grid generally following the three-dimensional contours of the surface but being displaced outwardly from the surface; and plasma processing the surface of the object with charge carriers produced in a plasma, the step of plasma processing including the steps of generating a plasma of charge carriers around and adjacent to the contoured surface of the object, and independently of generating the plasma, applying a plurality of pulses of an electrical accelerating voltage to the grid, the voltage being opposite in polarity to the charge carriers of the plasma.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the charge carriers are ions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the charge carriers are electrons.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the grid covers the entire surface of the object.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 4, wherein the grid provides a constant potential volume that encloses the object.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the grid covers a portion of the surface of the object, a conducting foil covers the remainder of the surface of the object, and the grid and conducting foil are electrically conducting.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 6, wherein the grid and conducting foil together provide a constant potential volume that encloses the object.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
68 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the method of plasma processing achieves ion deposition on surface of the object, and the step of plasma processing includes the step of plasma ion depositing ions onto the surface of the object, using as a depositing driving force an electrical potential applied to the electrically conducting grid sufficient to deposit ions onto the surface but not implant ions into the surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the method of plasma processing achieves ion implantation into the surface of the object, and the step of plasma processing includes the step of plasma ion implanting ions into the surface of the object, using as an implanting driving force an electrical potential applied to the electrically conducting grid sufficient to implant ions into the surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of plasma processing achieves ion mixing into the surface of the object.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of plasma processing achieves electron bombardment into the surface of the object.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the object is electrically conducting.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the object is electrically nonconducting.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the object is made of a polymeric material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the electrically conducting grid has an open area fraction of at least about 70 percent.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the electrically conducting grid is made of a material that has substantially no sputter deposition onto the surface of the object.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the electrically conducting grid is made of a material that sputter deposits onto the surface of the object.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the electrically conducting grid is displaced outwardly from the surface of the electrically nonconducting object by at least about 1/2 inch.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the surface of the object has a sharply shaped feature thereon, and the grid is shaped to generally conform to the feature.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the surface of the object has a recess thereon, and the grid is shaped to generally conform to the recess.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
122 words
A method for plasma processing an object, comprising the steps of: providing an electrically nonconducting, three-dimensional object having a contoured exposed surface; placing an electrically conducting grid over the contoured exposed surface of the object, the grid generally following the three-dimensional contours of the exposed surface but being displaced outwardly from the exposed surface to form a constant-potential volume adjacent to the entire exposed surface; and plasma processing the exposed surface of the object with charge carriers produced in a plasma, the step of plasma processing including the steps of generating a plasma around and adjacent to the exposed surface of the object, and independently of generating the plasma, applying a plurality of pulses of an electrical accelerating voltage to the grid.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
122 words
A method for plasma processing an object, comprising the steps of: providing an electrically nonconducting, three-dimensional object having a contoured exposed surface; placing an electrically conducting grid over the contoured exposed surface of the object, the grid generally following the three-dimensional contours of the exposed surface but being displaced outwardly from the exposed surface to form a constant-potential volume adjacent to the entire exposed surface; and plasma processing the exposed surface of the object with charge carriers produced in a plasma, the step of plasma processing including the steps of generating a plasma around and adjacent to the exposed surface of the object, and independently of generating the plasma, applying a plurality of pulses of an electrical accelerating voltage to the grid.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
98 words
A method for plasma processing an object, comprising the steps of: providing an object having an exposed surface; creating an equipotential surface adjacent to the exposed surface of the object but displaced outwardly from the exposed surface; and plasma processing the exposed surface of the object with charge carriers produced in a plasma, the step of plasma processing including the steps of generating a plasma of charge carriers around the exposed surface of the object, and independently of generating the plasma, applying a plurality of pulses of an electrical accelerating voltage between the equipotential surface and the plasma.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
98 words
A method for plasma processing an object, comprising the steps of: providing an object having an exposed surface; creating an equipotential surface adjacent to the exposed surface of the object but displaced outwardly from the exposed surface; and plasma processing the exposed surface of the object with charge carriers produced in a plasma, the step of plasma processing including the steps of generating a plasma of charge carriers around the exposed surface of the object, and independently of generating the plasma, applying a plurality of pulses of an electrical accelerating voltage between the equipotential surface and the plasma.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 22, wherein the plasma is created outside of the equipotential surface.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-12-19 | 1998-06-20 | 1998-12-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-12-19 | 2002-06-20 | 2002-12-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-12-19 | 2006-06-20 | 2006-12-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |