Sapphire thin film coated substrate

• US 20160076135A1
• Filed: 03/09/2015
• Published: 03/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HKBU R&D Licensing Limited
• Original Assignee: Hong Kong Baptist University
• Inventors: LI, King Fai, Tam, Hoi Lam, LAM, Wing Yui, Lee, Ka Suen, Cheah, Kok Wai
• Granted Patent: US 9,695,501 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/00 Surface treatment of glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by coating optical coatings of optical elements G02B1/10
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/245 by deposition from the vapour phase
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/214 Al2O3
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2218/15 from the vapour phase
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2218/32 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 3/06 with more than 90% silica by weight, e.g. quartz C03C3/045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/081 of aluminium, magnesium or beryllium
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/30 by electron bombardment
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/34 Sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/5806 Thermal treatment

Abstract

A method to deposit a layer of harder thin film substrate onto a softer substrate. In particular, the present invention provides a method to deposit a layer of sapphire thin film on to a softer substrate e.g. quartz, fused silica, silicon and (toughen) glass. This combination is better than pure sapphire substrate.

Claims

1. A method for coating sapphire on to substrate comprising,

at least one deposition process, wherein sapphire is deposited on to at least one substrate to form a sapphire coated substrate;

and

at least one anneal process, wherein said sapphire coated substrate is annealed under an annealing temperature ranging between 500°

C. and 2040°

C. for an effective duration of time.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one substrate comprises at least one material with a Mohs value less than that of said sapphire.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one deposition process comprises e-beam deposition or sputtering deposition.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said sapphire is deposited on to said at least one substrate to form at least one sapphire thin film.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein a thickness of said at least one substrate is of one or more orders of magnitude greater than a thickness of said at least one sapphire thin film.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein a thickness of said at least one sapphire thin film is about 1/1000 of a thickness of said at least one substrate.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein said at least one sapphire thin film has the thickness between 150 nm and 600 nm.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein said at least one sapphire thin film has the thickness between 150 nm and 300 nm.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said effective duration of time is no less than 30 minutes.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said effective duration of time is no more than 2 hours.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said annealing temperature ranges between 850°

C. and 1300°

C.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said annealing temperature ranges between 1150°

C. and 1300°

C.

13. The method according to claim 2, wherein said at least one material comprises quartz, fused silica, silicon, glass and/or toughen glass.

14. A method for protecting a surface of a substrate by coating said surface with sapphire using the method according to claim 1.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said surface allows light to pass through.

16. A screen fabricated by using the method according to claim 1 for use in displays.

17. The screen according to claim 16, wherein said screen is used as one or more interfaces in electronic or digital devices.

18. The screen according to claim 16, wherein said screen is scratch resistant, shatter resistant, light in weight and/or allows light to pass through.