US5670415A — Method and apparatus for vacuum deposition of hig…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 98 words

A method of vacuum depositing a coating on a substrate, comprising: providing an evaporant in a vacuum process chamber; ionizing the evaporant using an external power source to form a plasma within the process chamber; generating a non-uniform magnetic field within the process chamber having the configuration of a "magnetic bottle" to contain the plasma; and then moving the substrate into a deposition volume of the "magnetic bottle" along a direction of motion generally parallel to a primary axis of the "magnetic bottle" within the deposition volume to deposit the coating on the substrate to a desired thickness.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 98 words

A method of vacuum depositing a coating on a substrate, comprising: providing an evaporant in a vacuum process chamber; ionizing the evaporant using an external power source to form a plasma within the process chamber; generating a non-uniform magnetic field within the process chamber having the configuration of a "magnetic bottle" to contain the plasma; and then moving the substrate into a deposition volume of the "magnetic bottle" along a direction of motion generally parallel to a primary axis of the "magnetic bottle" within the deposition volume to deposit the coating on the substrate to a desired thickness.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 58 words

The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said substrate has a face establishing a plane and wherein the ionized evaporant is subjected to a dc electric field, said electric field having field vectors oriented generally in a plane parallel to said plane of said substrate face, said field vectors being oriented generally perpendicular to magnetic field lines.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method as recited in claim 1 and wherein the material is evaporated using a metallization source adapted to heat and vaporize a solid metal.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 38 words

The method as recited in claim 1 and wherein the substrate is a generally rectangular-shaped panel having front and rear faces oriented generally parallel to the primary axis of the "magnetic bottle" and both faces are simultaneously coated.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method as recited in claim 1 and wherein the substrate is moved through the plasma by an electrically biasable carrier.

Claim 7

Independent Claim 143 words

A method for vacuum depositing a coating on a substrate comprising: vaporizing a deposition species in a vacuum process chamber to form an evaporant; forming a plasma by ionizing the evaporant using an external power source with electrodes located within the process chamber; generating a non-uniform magnetic field throughout the process chamber which contains the plasma and acts as a barrier to high energy electrons in the plasma striking the substrate said magnetic field having a primary axis; subjecting the ionized evaporant to a dc electric field with field vectors oriented generally perpendicular to the primary axis of the magnetic field and parallel to a face of the substrate; and then moving the substrate through the plasma along a direction of motion generally parallel to the primary axis of the magnetic field to deposit the coating on the substrate to a desired thickness.

Claim 8

Independent Claim 143 words

A method for vacuum depositing a coating on a substrate comprising: vaporizing a deposition species in a vacuum process chamber to form an evaporant; forming a plasma by ionizing the evaporant using an external power source with electrodes located within the process chamber; generating a non-uniform magnetic field throughout the process chamber which contains the plasma and acts as a barrier to high energy electrons in the plasma striking the substrate said magnetic field having a primary axis; subjecting the ionized evaporant to a dc electric field with field vectors oriented generally perpendicular to the primary axis of the magnetic field and parallel to a face of the substrate; and then moving the substrate through the plasma along a direction of motion generally parallel to the primary axis of the magnetic field to deposit the coating on the substrate to a desired thickness.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method a recited in claim 6 and wherein the external power supply for the ionizing electrodes is a radio frequency source.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method a recited in claim 6 and wherein the magnetic field is applied by a magnet surrounding the process chamber.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method as recited in claim 6 and wherein the substrate is a generally rectangular-shaped panel having parallel faces oriented generally parallel to magnetic field lines as the substrate is moved through the plasma.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method as recited in claim 9 and wherein the substrate is a dielectric and the deposition species is a metal.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method as recited in claim 6 and wherein the substrate is conductive and is coupled to an external bias source.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method as recited in claim 6 and wherein the deposition species is a metal vaporized using a metallization source.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method as recited in claim 9 wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of a metal, a dielectric and a dielectric partially covered with metal and the deposition species is a dielectric.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method as recited in claim 13 and wherein the substrate is intermediate-sized panel from about 100 mm to about 1400 mm on a side.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 134 words

A method of vacuum deposition for plating a substrate having an exposed face with a metal, comprising: evaporating the metal in a vacuum process chamber to form an evaporant; ionizing the evaporant to form a plasma using electrodes mounted within the process chamber coupled to a rf power source; generating magnetic field lines in the process chamber to provide a barrier to high energy electrons in the plasma striking the substrate; subjecting the ionized evaporant to a dc electric field having electric field vectors oriented generally perpendicular to the magnetic field lines in a deposition volume; and then moving the substrate through the deposition volume on an electrically biasable carrier with a face of the substrate held by the carrier generally parallel to the magnetic field lines to deposit the metal onto the face.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 134 words

A method of vacuum deposition for plating a substrate having an exposed face with a metal, comprising: evaporating the metal in a vacuum process chamber to form an evaporant; ionizing the evaporant to form a plasma using electrodes mounted within the process chamber coupled to a rf power source; generating magnetic field lines in the process chamber to provide a barrier to high energy electrons in the plasma striking the substrate; subjecting the ionized evaporant to a dc electric field having electric field vectors oriented generally perpendicular to the magnetic field lines in a deposition volume; and then moving the substrate through the deposition volume on an electrically biasable carrier with a face of the substrate held by the carrier generally parallel to the magnetic field lines to deposit the metal onto the face.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method as recited in claim 15 and wherein the metal is evaporated using a metallization source placed below the substrate carrier.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method as recited in claim 15 and wherein the magnetic field lines are generated by magnetic field coils placed around the process chamber.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method as recited in claim 15 and wherein the magnetic field lines are generated by permanent magnets placed around the process chamber.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 30 words

The method as recited in claim 15 and wherein planes formed by a surface of the electrodes are generally parallel to one another and to a face of the substrate.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method as recited in claim 15 and wherein the electrodes extend above and below the substrate.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method as recited in claim 15 and wherein the electrodes are water cooled.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2000-09-22	2001-03-24	2001-09-23	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2004-09-22	2005-03-24	2005-09-23	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2008-09-22	2009-03-24	2009-09-23	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for vacuum deposition of highly ionized media in an electromagnetic controlled environment

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