Method for depositing thin, transparent metal oxide films

• US 4,571,350 A
• Filed: 09/24/1984
• Issued: 02/18/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Corning Glass Works Inc. (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Glass Works Inc. (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Parker, Edwin H., Piazza, Giacomo J.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/653,156
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 427/109, 427/160, 427/164, 427/166
• US Class Current: 427/109
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/245 by deposition from the vapour phase
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/21 Oxides
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/211 SnO2
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/215 In2O3
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/228 Other specific oxides
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/23 Mixtures
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/231 In2O3/SnO2
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/232 CdO/SnO2
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/244 with Sb
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2218/152 by cvd
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/12 characterised by the deposition of inorganic material other than metallic material
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/1216 Metal oxides C23C18/1212 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/1245 Inorganic substrates other than metallic
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/1291 by heating of the substrate

Abstract

This invention is directed to a method for producing thin, transparent metal oxide films of very uniform thickness through the pyrolysis of a metal salt which comprises spraying an atomized mist of the metal salt into a fuming chamber operating at a sufficiently high temperature to vaporize the mist and then drawing the fumes out of said chamber into contact with the surface of a substrate which is at a temperature essentially equivalent to that of the fumes at the exit end of said chamber, that temperature being sufficiently high to thermally decompose said metal salt and deposit a film of metal oxide on the substrate.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a thin, transparent metal oxide film of exacting uniform thickness through the pyrolysis of at least one metal salt which comprises the steps of:

(a) spraying an atomized mist of said metal salt into a fuming chamber heated to a temperature sufficient to vaporize said mist;

(b) drawing the resultant fumes out of said chamber into contact with the surface of a substrate which is at a temperature essentially equivalent to that of said fumes at the exit end of said chamber, said fumes being drawn out of said chamber by negative pressure at the exit end thereof and said temperature being sufficient to thermally decompose said metal salt and deposit a film of metal oxide and said substrate.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said metal oxide film consists of antimony-doped tin oxide.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said film has a thickness between about 1000-3000 Å

, an optical transmission greater than 80%, and a electrical resistivity between about 7-1000 ohms/square.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said substrate is a glass body.