Method for the deposition and modification of thin films using a combination of vacuum arcs and plasma immersion ion implantation
First Claim
1. A method for depositing a CNx film on a substrate, comprising the step of:
- providing a vacuum chamber;
providing a substrate positioned within said vacuum chamber;
providing a consumable carbon-based anode and a cathode;
ingiting an arc between said consumable carbon-based anode and said cathode to produce a partially ionized carbon vapor;
depositing said partially ionized carbon vapor on said substrate to form a carbon film thereon;
providing a nitrogen plasma;
immersing said substrate deposited with said carbon film into said nitrogen plasma; and
implanting said carbon film with nitrogen ions from said nitrogen plasma to form a CNx film.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Cathodic/anodic vacuum arc sources with plasma ion implantation deposition system for depositing high quality thin film coatings of complex compounds on a workpiece. Both cathodic and anodic vacuum arc deposition sources, CAVAD, are used to create a plasma vapor from solid materials composing the cathode and/or anode in the cathodic and/or anodic arc respectively. Gases, e.g., hydrogen or nitrogen can be in the deposited films by creating a background plasma of the desired gas using either RF energy, thermionic emission, or consequential ionization of the gas passing through the arc or around the substrate. Application of highly negative pulses to the substrate to extract the ions and provide them with the appropriate energy to interact with the other species in the thin film formation on the substrate to form the desired films. The substrate is bombarded with the ionized particles to form carbon nitrides with variable [N]/[C] ratios, referred to as CNx.
119 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method for depositing a CNx film on a substrate, comprising the step of:
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providing a vacuum chamber; providing a substrate positioned within said vacuum chamber; providing a consumable carbon-based anode and a cathode; ingiting an arc between said consumable carbon-based anode and said cathode to produce a partially ionized carbon vapor; depositing said partially ionized carbon vapor on said substrate to form a carbon film thereon; providing a nitrogen plasma; immersing said substrate deposited with said carbon film into said nitrogen plasma; and implanting said carbon film with nitrogen ions from said nitrogen plasma to form a CNx film. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for depositing a CNx film on a substrate, comprising the steps of:
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providing a vacuum chamber with a curved magnetic duct, said vacuum chamber including nitrogen gas; providing a substrate positioned within said vacuum chamber; providing a cathode positioned at an end of said curved magnetic duct, said cathode comprising a carbon-based material; igniting a cathodic arc, said cathodic arc operating in a continuous mode and forming a carbon ion flux, said nitrogen gas forming a plasma; passing said carbon ion flux through said curved magnetic duct and onto said substrate; implanting said carbon ion flux and nitrogen ions from said nitrogen plasma onto said substrate to form a CNx film thereon. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for depositing a CNx film on a substrate, comprising the steps of:
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providing a vacuum chamber with a curved magnetic duct, said vacuum chamber including nitrogen gas; providing a substrate positioned within said vacuum chamber; providing a cathode positioned at an end of said curved magnetic duct, said cathode comprising a carbon-based material; igniting a cathodic arc, said cathodic arc operating in a pulsing mode and forming a carbon ion flux; providing a nitrogen plasma; passing said carbon ion flux through said curved magnetic duct and onto said substrate; implanting said carbon ion flux and nitrogen ions from said nitrogen plasma onto said substrate to form a CNx film. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification