Manufacturing Apparatus For Depositing A Material And An Electrode For Use Therein

• US 20110036292A1
• Filed: 04/13/2009
• Published: 02/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hillabrand, David, Dehtiar, Max, Mccoy, Keith, Molnar, Michael, Knapp, Theodore
• Application Number:
  US12/937,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20110036292A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 118/723.E
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 10/02 Plasma welding
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4418 Methods for making free-standing articles C23C16/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/03 Electrodes

Abstract

The present invention relates to a manufacturing apparatus for deposition of a material on a carrier body and an electrode for use with the manufacturing apparatus. Typically, the carrier body has a first end and a second end spaced from each other. A socket is disposed at each of the end of the carrier body. The apparatus includes a housing that defines a chamber. At least one electrode is disposed through the housing for receiving the socket. The electrode includes an interior surface that defines a channel. The electrode heats the carrier body to a necessary deposition temperature by direct passage of electrical current to the carrier body. A coolant is in fluid communication with the channel of the electrode for reducing the temperature of the electrode. A channel coating is disposed in the interior surface of the electrode for preventing loss of heat transfer between the coolant and the interior surface.

Claims

1. A manufacturing apparatus for deposition of a material on a carrier body having a first end and a second end spaced from each other with a socket disposed at each end of the carrier body, said apparatus comprising:

a housing defining a chamber;

an inlet defined through said housing for introducing a gas into said chamber;

an outlet defined through said housing for exhausting the gas from said chamber;

at least one electrode disposed through said housing with said electrode at least partially disposed within said chamber for receiving the socket and with said electrode having an interior surface defining a channel;

a power supply device coupled to said electrode for providing an electrical current to said electrode;

a circulation system disposed within said channel for circulating a coolant through said electrode; and

a channel coating disposed on said interior surface for maintaining thermal conductivity between said electrode and the coolant.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said at least one electrode includes a first electrode for receiving the socket at the first end of the carrier body and a second electrode for receiving the socket at the second end of the carrier body.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said electrode further includes a shaft and a head defining a contact region with said head disposed on said shaft.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said shaft has a first end and a second end and wherein said channel has a length extending between said first end and said second end of said electrode.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said circulating system includes an interior tube mounted within said first end of said electrode with said interior tube disposed within and extending a majority of said length of said channel.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said channel coating comprises at least one of silver, gold, nickel, and chromium.

7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said channel coating comprises nickel.

8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said electrode further comprises an anti-tarnishing layer disposed on said channel coating.

9. An electrode for use with a manufacturing apparatus to deposit a material onto a carrier body and to circulate a coolant through said electrode, said electrode comprising:

a shaft having a first end and a second end spaced from each other;

a head disposed on said second end of said shaft;

at least one of said shaft and said head including an interior surface defining a channel;

a channel coating disposed on said interior surface for maintaining thermal conductivity between said electrode and the coolant.

10. The electrode as set forth in claim 9 wherein said interior surface includes a terminal end spaced from said first end of said shaft.

11. The electrode as set forth in claim 10 wherein said shaft defines said channel.

12. The electrode as set forth in claim 9 wherein said head is integral to said shaft and said shaft and said head comprise copper.

13. The electrode as set forth in claim 9 wherein said head is integral to said shaft and said shaft and said head comprise oxygen-free electrolytic copper.

14. The electrode as set forth in claim 9 wherein said channel coating comprises at least one of silver, gold, nickel, and chromium.

15. The electrode as set forth in claim 9 wherein said channel coating comprises nickel.

16. The electrode as set forth in claim 15 further comprising an anti-tarnishing layer disposed on said channel coating.

17. The electrode as set forth in claim 9 wherein said shaft has an exterior surface disposed between said first end and said second end of said shaft.

18. The electrode as set forth in claim 17 further including a shaft coating disposed on said exterior surface of said shaft.

19. The electrode as set forth in claim 18 wherein said shaft coating comprises at least one of silver, gold, nickel, and chromium.

20. The electrode as set forth claim 18 wherein said shaft coating comprises silver.

21. The electrode as set forth in claim 9 wherein said head has an exterior surface.

22. The electrode as set forth in claim 21 further including a head coating disposed on said exterior surface of said head.

23. The electrode as set forth in claim 22 wherein said head coating comprises at least one of silver, gold, nickel, and chromium.

24. The electrode as set forth in claim 22 wherein said head coating comprises nickel.

25. The electrode as set forth in claim 9 wherein the carrier body has a first end and a second end spaced from each other with a socket disposed at each end of the carrier body.

26. The electrode as set forth in claim 25 wherein said exterior surface of said head defines a contact region for receiving the socket at the end of the carrier body.

27. The electrode as set forth in claim 26 further including a contact region coating disposed on said exterior surface of said contact region.

28. The electrode as set forth in claim 27 wherein said contact region coating comprises at least one of silver, gold, and chromium.

29. The electrode as set forth in claim 9 wherein said channel coating has a thermal conductivity of from 70.3 to 427 W/m K.

30. The electrode as set forth in claim 9 wherein said channel coating has a thickness of from 0.0025 mm to 0.026 mm.