Ionic plasma deposition apparatus

• US 20040134770A1
• Filed: 10/30/2003
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ionic Fusion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ionic Fusion Corporation
• Inventors: Petersen, John H
• Application Number:
  US10/476,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20040134770A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/192.38
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/325 Electric arc evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/562 for coating elongated substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32055 Arc discharge
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32541 Shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32587 Triode systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/1095 Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/86 Inert electrodes with catalytic activity, e.g. for fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/96 Carbon-based electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1004 characterised by membrane-electrode assemblies [MEA] H01M8/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A process and apparatus (10) for depositing thin films onto the surface of a substrate (40) using cathodic arc deposition. The process and apparatus (10) include a cathode (14) of target material, disposed within a vacuum chamber (12), which is powered to generate an arc for vaporizing the target material into a plasma of particulate constituents. The plasma constituents are selected, controlled and directed toward the substrate by electromagnetic fields generated by at least a first anode, surrounding the cathode (14), and a second anode positioned adjacent the first anode. Additional anode structures and variable charged screens can also be used to provide further control of the plasma constituents. Use of the process and apparatus (10) to manufacture fuel cells of the type employing catalytic layers, conductive layers, and a polymeric proton exchange membrane is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A plasma deposition apparatus for applying one or more thin film materials into or onto a substrate by selectively controlling the depositing plasma constituents that will reach a substrate from a cathode, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a vacuum chamber,

(b) a cathode disposed within said vacuum chamber comprised of a target material, said cathode being powered to generate an electric arc to create said plasma of constituent particles;

(c) at least one first anode disposed within said vacuum chamber for generating an electromagnetic field between said cathode said first anode to guide the flow of charged constituent particles;

(d) at least one second anode structure positioned adjacent to said first anode, said second anode generating an electromagnetic field to direct said charged constituent particles to the substrate for deposition;

(e) at least one wall and screen positioned adjacent to said second anode to control flow of neutral constituent particles to the substrate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a moving gate is provided adjacent to said screen to allow adjustable control of selected constituent particles to the substrate.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a third anode is positioned adjacent the second anode, the third anode generating a third electromagnetic field that cooperates with the electromagnetic fields generated by the first and second anodes to control electron flow.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one gas manifold positioned within the vacuum chamber to supply a gas to the vacuum chamber.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one fixture disposed within the vacuum chamber for mounting the substrate thereon.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the fixture is energized by a variable bias voltage applied by a separate power source.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second anode structure comprises a plurality of second anode components, each of which radiates outwardly from said first anode toward the vacuum chamber wall.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein a wall and screen component is positioned adjacent each of the second anode components.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the screen is provided with a hinged solid gate which is moveable between an open and a closed position to control the neutral particle flow to the substrate.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a striker rod cantilevered into a position adjacent the cathode and a gas manifold supplying a gas to the striker rod, whereby a gas pulse from the gas manifold moves the striker rod into close proximity to the cathode to ignite the arc at the cathode.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first anode comprises a series of connected loops surrounding the cathode.

12. A plasma deposition apparatus for applying one or more materials into or onto a substrate by selectively controlling the depositing plasma particles that will reach the substrate from a cathode, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a vacuum chamber,

(b) a cathode disposed within the vacuum chamber comprised of a target material, the cathode being powered to generate an electric arc to create a plasma of constituent particles;

(c) at least one first anode disposed within the vacuum chamber for generating an electromagnetic field, between the cathode and the first anode to guide flow of the charged constituent particles;

(d) at least one second anode structure positioned adjacent to the first anode, the second anode generating an electromagnetic field to direct the charged constituent particles to the substrate for deposition;

(e) at least one wall and at least one screen positioned adjacent to the second anode to control flow of neutral constituent particles to the substrate;

(f) at least one third anode structure positioned adjacent one end of the second anode structure, the third anode structure generating an electromagnetic field to control flow of electron constituent particles.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the second anode structure comprises a plurality of second anode components, each of which radiates outwardly from the first anode toward the vacuum chamber wall.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the screen is provided with a hinged solid gate which is moveable between an open and a closed position to control flow of neutral constituent particles to the substrate.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a striker rod cantilevered into a position adjacent the cathode and a gas manifold supplying a gas to the striker rod, whereby a gas pulse from the gas manifold moves the striker rod into close proximity to the cathode to ignite the arc at the cathode.

16. A plasma deposition process for applying selected target material particles vaporized from a cathode of the target material into or onto the surface of a substrate, the process comprising

(a) mounting the cathode and the substrate in spaced apart relation in a vacuum chamber;

(b) providing within the vacuum chamber at least one first anode structure which surrounds the cathode, at least one second anode structure positioned adjacent the first anode structure, and a wall component comprising a screen with an adjustable opening positioned adjacent to the second anode;

(c) powering the cathode to generate an electric arc to create a plasma of constituent target particles, including charged particles;

(d) generating an electromagnetic field between the cathode and the first anode to guide the flow of the charged particles;

(e) generating an electromagnetic field around the second anode structure to direct the charged particles to the substrate; and

(f) adjusting the openings of the screen to control flow of neutral particles to the substrate.

17. The process of claim 16, wherein the substrate is mounted on a fixture energized by a variable bias voltage and the fixture is rotated about its central axis.

18. The process of claim 16, wherein the electromagnetic field between the cathode and the first anode is generated by supplying a current in the range from 0 to about 100 volts at 0 to about 300 amps to the first anode.

19. The process of claim 16, wherein the vacuum chamber is provided with a third anode structure and an electromagnetic field is generated around the third anode to capture electrons from the plasma material.

20. A process for manufacturing a fuel cell comprising conducting the following steps on a selected substrate in a vacuum chamber:

(a) depositing a carbon layer on the substrate by vaporizing a cathode of graphite material into a plasma of constituent particles and guiding the particles to the substrate with electromagnetic fields generated by at least a first anode and a second anode;

(b) depositing a micro-particle metal catalyst layer on the carbon layer by vaporizing a cathode of metal material into a plasma of constituent particles and guiding the constituent particles to the substrate with the electromagnetic fields generated by the at least first and second anodes;

(c) introducing a reactive gas into the vacuum chamber and forming a solid polymer membrane layer on the metal catalyst layer; and

(d) repeating steps (a) and (b) to form the fuel cell.