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US5474816A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Fabrication of amorphous diamond films

Assignee: University of California, San Diego
•
Filing: 1993-04-16
•
Granted: 1995-12-12
•
Expires: 2013-04-16
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Abstract

Abstract Amorphous diamond films having a significant reduction in intrinsic stress are prepared by biasing a substrate to be coated and depositing carbon ions thereon under controlled temperature conditions.

Inventors

  • 👤 Steven Falabella

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-03 19:56
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/06; C23C14/0605; C23C14/22; C23C14/54; C23C14/541; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/26; Y10T428/263; Y10T428/264; Y10T428/265; Y10T428/30; Y10T428/31504; Y10T428/31507; Y10T428/31678

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim 71 words
A method of coating a substrate with amorphous diamond comprising: (a.) cooling said substrate to room temperature or below; (b) biasing said substrate at a voltage between about -70 and -225 volts; and (c) condensing carbon ions having an energy of about 20 to 200 eV. onto said substrate to coat said substrate with a film of substantially hydrogen free amorphous diamond having an intrinsic stress of substantially below 6 GPa.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 71 words
A method of coating a substrate with amorphous diamond comprising: (a.) cooling said substrate to room temperature or below; (b) biasing said substrate at a voltage between about -70 and -225 volts; and (c) condensing carbon ions having an energy of about 20 to 200 eV. onto said substrate to coat said substrate with a film of substantially hydrogen free amorphous diamond having an intrinsic stress of substantially below 6 GPa.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 13 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising adding impurity ions to said film.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said impurity ions are selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, silicon, boron, aluminum, germanium and phosphorus.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said substrate is cooled while said carbon ions are being condensed onto said substrate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising depositing an intermediate layer onto said substrate prior to coating with carbon ions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 13 words
The method of claim 5, wherein said intermediate layer comprises a carbide-forming metal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 14 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said substrate is coated within a vacuum chamber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 16 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon ions are produced by a cathodic arc source.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 12 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said biasing comprises radio frequency biasing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said film of amorphous diamond is characterized by an intrinsic stress of about 1-2 GPa.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said substrate is cooled with a coolant selected from either water or liquid nitrogen.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 13 words
The method of claim 11, wherein said substrate is coated at room temperature.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 13 words
The method of claim 11, wherein said substrate is coated below room temperature.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 18 words
The method of claim 11, wherein said amorphous diamond coating is characterized by a hardness above 25 GPa.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 11 words
The method of claim 2, wherein said impurity ions are nitrogen.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 8, further comprising introducing dopants into said substrate by ionizing said dopants with said cathodic arc source.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 14 words
The method of claim 16, further comprising accelerating said dopants while biasing said substrate.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4728529A Cited
US4707384A Cited
US4961958A Cited
US5110679A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1998-12-11 1999-06-12 1999-12-12 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2002-12-11 2003-06-12 2003-12-12 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2006-12-11 2007-06-12 2007-12-12 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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