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Method for producing an abrasion resistant coated substrate product

  • US 5,643,423 A
  • Filed: 12/03/1993
  • Issued: 07/01/1997
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1990
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A chemical vapor deposition method for producing an abrasion wear resistant coated substrate product comprising:

  • chemically de-greasing the surface of a parent substrate which is substantially optically transparent to light in the visible region of 350 to approximately 750 nanometers and which comprises a material selected from the group consisting of an amorphous material, a single crystal, polycrystalline materials, ceramic materials and mixtures thereof to remove hydrocarbon contamination;

    placing said substrate into a chemical vapor deposition reactor vacuum chamber and evacuating the air from said chamber;

    sputter-etching the surface of said substrate with energetic gas ions to remove traces of residual hydrocarbon and to preferentially reduce the concentration of alkali metal atoms and alkali metal oxides at the substrate surface;

    chemically vapor depositing at least one composite layer having a thickness in the range of about 1 μ

    m to about 20 μ

    m by chemically vapor depositing during a first cycle a substantially optically transparent first interlayer at least 1 μ

    m up to 20 μ

    m, thick onto said substrate;

    chemically vapor depositing during said first cycle a substantially optically transparent diamond-like carbon outer layer which is transparent to light in the visible region of 350 to approximately 750 nanometers and having a thickness of at least 50 Å

    thick onto said coated substrate;

    said first interlayer comprising a substantially optical transparent material devoid of alkali metal atoms and fluorine, which first interlayer is transparent to light in the visible region of 350 to approximately 750 nanometers and is selected from the group consisting of silicon nitride, titanium nitride, tantalum nitride, hafnium nitride, zirconium nitride, boron nitride, yttrium oxide, germanium oxide, hafnium oxide, silicon oxide, silicon dioxide, tantalum oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide, silicon carbide, germanium carbide, mixtures thereof, and chemically bonded combinations thereof to form a strong chemical bond to said substrate and a strong chemical bond to said diamond-like carbon outer layer;

    cooling said coated substrate by extinguishing said deposition process and passing an inert gas over said substrate until the temperature of said substrate has reached substantially room temperature during said cool-down step; and

    recovering a coated substrate product exhibiting greatly improved wear resistance for severe abrasive environments.

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