Method and apparatus for direct use of low pressure vapor from liquid or solid precursors for selected area laser deposition
First Claim
1. A method of depositing a layer of material on a target area, the method comprising:
- preparing a catalytic environment upon the target area;
positioning a gas phase at an ambient temperature proximate to the target area, said gas phase comprising at least one gas phase component which condenses at a temperature above said ambient temperature;
scanning an energy beam across the target area; and
depositing material from said gas phase onto the target area at predetermined scanned locations of said beam in accordance with said catalytic environment upon said target area.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for selectively depositing a layer of material from a gas phase to produce a part comprising a plurality of deposited layers. The apparatus includes a computer controlling a directed energy beam, such as a laser, to direct the laser energy into an unheated chamber substantially containing the gas phase to preferably produce photodecomposition or thermal decomposition of the gas phase and selectively deposit material within the boundaries of the desired cross-sectional regions of the part. At least one component of the gas phase is a vapor which condenses at a temperature above the ambient temperature of the chamber. Each such component can exist at a partial pressure no higher than its equilibrium vapor pressure at the chamber ambient temperature. For each cross section, the aim of the laser beam is scanned over a target area and the beam is switched on to deposit material within the boundaries of the cross-section. Each subsequent layer is joined to the immediately preceding layer to produce a part comprising a plurality of joined layers. A catalytic environment can be created proximate or upon the target area to ensure that initial nucleation and renucleation layers are receptive to substantially rapid and uniform growth of decomposed gas phase material at the target location. The catalyst can be placed on the initial substrate layer and/or upon successive layers as the layers are being deposited on the outer surface of the evolving part.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. A method of depositing a layer of material on a target area, the method comprising:
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preparing a catalytic environment upon the target area;
positioning a gas phase at an ambient temperature proximate to the target area, said gas phase comprising at least one gas phase component which condenses at a temperature above said ambient temperature;scanning an energy beam across the target area; and
depositing material from said gas phase onto the target area at predetermined scanned locations of said beam in accordance with said catalytic environment upon said target area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8)
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6. The method of claim I, wherein said preparing step comprises introducing a catalyst gas phase component into said gas phase proximate to said target area.
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9. A method of depositing a layer of material onto a substrate, comprising:
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providing a substrate having a surface layer; preparing a catalytic composition upon at least a portion of said surface layer; positioning a gas phase at an ambient temperature proximate to said substrate, said gas phase comprising at least one gas phase component which condenses at a temperature above said ambient temperature; scanning an energy beam across said surface layer; and depositing material from said gas phase onto said surface layer at predetermined scanned locations of said beam in quantity according to said catalytic composition. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of depositing a layer of material, comprising:
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providing a part having an outer layer; positioning a gas phase at an ambient temperature proximate said outer layer, said gas phase comprising at least one gas phase component which condenses at a temperature above ambient temperature; introducing a predetermined concentration of a catalyst gas into said gas phase; scanning an energy beam across said outer layer; and depositing material from said gas phase onto said outer layer at predetermined scanned locations of said beam in accordance with said catalytic gas concentration within said gas phase. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of producing a part upon a substrate, comprising:
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providing a sealable chamber; placing a substrate within said sealable chamber, said substrate having an outer surface layer; preparing a catalytic composition upon a portion of said surface layer; introducing a gas phase at an ambient temperature into said sealable chamber and proximate said surface layer, said gas phase comprising at least one gas phase component which condenses at a temperature above ambient temperature; scanning an energy beam across said surface layer; depositing material from said gas phase onto said surface layer in a three dimensional growth pattern at predetermined scanned locations of said beam at rates consistent with said catalytic composition concentration; introducing a predetermined concentration of a catalyst gas phase component into said sealable chamber and within said gas phase; scanning said energy beam across said surface layer; depositing material from said gas phase onto said surface layer in a three dimensional growth pattern at predetermined scanned locations of said beam at rates consistent with said catalyst gas concentration; and repeating the last two steps to deposit successive layers of materials comprising said part. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. An apparatus for producing a part, comprising:
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a chamber at an ambient temperature containing at least one gas phase component which condenses at a temperature above said ambient temperature; a target area within said chamber; a catalyst formed upon said target area; and at least one energy beam directed upon said target area to selectively nucleate and renucleate said at least one gas phase component influenced by said catalyst upon said target area to form a part. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of depositing a layer of material on a target area, the method comprising:
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positioning a gas phase at an ambient temperature proximate to the target area, said gas phase comprising at least one gas phase component which condenses at a temperature above ambient temperature; scanning an energy beam across the target area; and depositing material from said gas phase onto the target area at predetermined scanned locations of said beam upon the target area. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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35. A method of depositing a layer of material onto a substrate, comprising:
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providing a substrate having a surface layer; positioning a gas phase at an ambient temperature proximate to said substrate, said gas phase comprising at least one gas phase component which condenses at a temperature above said ambient temperature; scanning an energy beam across said surface layer; and depositing material from said gas phase onto said surface layer at predetermined scanned locations of said beam. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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39. A method of depositing a layer of material, comprising:
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providing a part having an outer layer; positioning a gas phase at an ambient temperature proximate said outer layer, said gas phase comprising at least one gas phase component which condenses at a temperature above ambient temperature; scanning an energy beam across said outer layer; and depositing material from said gas phase component onto said outer layer at predetermined scanned locations of said beam. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41)
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42. A method of producing a part upon a substrate, comprising:
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providing a sealable chamber; placing a substrate within said sealable chamber, said substrate having an outer surface layer; introducing a gas phase at ambient temperature into said sealable chamber and proximate said surface layer, said gas phase comprising at least one gas phase component which condenses at a temperature above said ambient temperature; scanning an energy beam across said surface layer; depositing material from said gas phase component onto said surface layer in a three dimensional growth pattern at predetermined scanned locations of said beam; and repeating the introducing, scanning and depositing steps to deposit successive layers of materials comprising said part. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45)
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46. An apparatus for producing a part, comprising:
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a gas-filled chamber at an ambient temperature, said gas comprising at least one gas phase component which condenses above said ambient temperature; a target area within said chamber; and at least one energy beam directed upon said target area to selectively nucleate and renucleate said gas phase component. - View Dependent Claims (47)
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Specification