Apparatus and method for depositing large area coatings on non-planar surfaces

• US 6,681,716 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2001
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sabic Innovative Plastics IP BV (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Schaepkens, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Hassanzadeh, Parviz
• Application Number:
  US09/683,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20030097988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 118/723.E, 118/723.DC, 118/718, 118/728, 118/729, 118/727, 118/726, 118/723.CB, 118/723.EB, 156/345.33, 156/345.34, 438/788, 427/393.4, 427/450, 427/38
• US Class Current: 118/723.0DC
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4558 Perforated rings
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/513 using plasma jets
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/52 Controlling or regulating the coating process C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24628 Nonplanar uniform thickness material

Abstract

A method and apparatus for depositing a uniform coating on a large area, non-planar surface using an array of multiple plasma sources. The apparatus comprises at least one array of a plurality of plasma sources for generating a plurality of plasmas, wherein each of the plurality of plasma sources has a cathode, anode, and an inlet for a non-reactive plasma source gas disposed in a plasma chamber, and at least one reactant gas injector for differentially injecting at least one reactant gas into the plurality of plasmas. The reactant gas injector and substrate are located in a deposition chamber in fluid communication with each plasma chamber. Individual adjustment of the flow of deposition precursor into each of the plasmas generated by the multiple plasma array compensates for changes in substrate processing conditions due to local variations in the working distance between the plasma source and the surface of the substrate.

Claims

1. An apparatus for depositing a uniform, coating on a surface of a non-planar substrate, said apparatus comprising:

a) at least one array of a plurality of plasma sources for generating a plurality of plasmas, wherein each of said plurality of plasma sources includes a cathode, an anode, and an inlet for a non-reactive plasma source gas disposed in a plasma chamber which is maintained at a first predetermined pressure;

b) a deposition chamber for containing said non-planar substrate, wherein said deposition chamber is in fluid communication with said plasma chamber, and wherein said deposition chamber is maintained at a second predetermined pressure, said second predetermined pressure being less than said first predetermined pressure;

c) at least one reactant gas injector disposed in said deposition chamber between said at least one array and said non-planar substrate for providing a differential flow rate of at least one reactant gas into each of said plurality of plasmas, such that said plurality of plasmas impinges upon a first region of said surface of said non-planar substrate and a second region of said surface of said non-planar substrate to form a coating of substantially uniform thickness, wherein said first region is located at a first working distance from said plurality of plasma sources and said second region is located at a second working distance from said plurality of plasma sources, said first working distance being greater than said second working distance.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of plasma sources is an expanding thermal plasma source.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one array includes at least one three dimensional array of said plurality of plasma sources.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one array includes at least one linear array of said plurality of plasma sources.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one array includes at least one two dimensional array of said plurality of plasma sources.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first predetermined pressure is at least about 0.1 atmosphere.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said first predetermined pressure is about 1 atmosphere.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second predetermined pressure is less than about 1 torr.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second predetermined pressure is less than about 100 millitorr.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plasma source gas comprises at least one of argon, nitrogen, hydrogen, helium, neon, krypton, and xenon.

11. A common reactant gas injector for injecting at least one reactant gas by differential flow into a plurality of plasmas generated by an array of a plurality of plasma sources such that a first flow rate of said reactant gas into a first plasma generated by a first plasma source in said array is different from a second flow rate of said reactant gas into a second plasma generated by a second plasma source in said array, said reactant gas injector comprising:

a) at least one reactant gas inlet comprising a tubular-walled structure having an interior space through which said at least one reactant gas is supplied from a reactant gas source;

b) a first plurality of orifices proximate to said first plasma, each of said first plurality of orifices extending through said tubular-walled structure from said interior space to an outer surface of said reactant gas inlet, wherein said first plurality of orifices is oriented such that said at least one reactant gas passes from said interior space through said first plurality of orifices and is directed into said first plasma at said first flow rate; and

c) a second plurality of orifices proximate to said second plasma, each of said second plurality of orifices extending through said tubular-walled structure from said interior space to an outer surface of said at least one reactant gas inlet, wherein said second plurality of orifices is oriented such that said at least one reactant gas passes from said interior space through said second plurality of orifices and is directed into said second plasma at said second flow raze, said second flow rate being different from said first flow rate, such that said plurality of plasmas impinges upon a first region of a surface of a non-planar substrate and a second region of said surface of said non-planar substrate to form a coating of substantially uniform thickness, wherein said first region is located at a first working distance from said plurality of plasma sources and said second region is located at a second working distance from said plurality of plasma sources, said first working distance being greater than said second working distance.

12. The common reactant gas injector according to claim 11, wherein said first plurality of orifices comprises a first predetermined number of orifices and said second plurality of orifices comprises a second predetermined number of orifices.

13. The common reactant gas injector according to claim 12, wherein said first predetermined number is different from said second predetermined number.

14. The common reactant gas injector according to claim 12, wherein each of said first plurality of orifices has a first conductance, and each of said second plurality of orifices has a second conductance, said second conductance being different from said first conductance.

15. The common reactant gas injector according to claim 11, wherein said first plurality of orifices has a first linear density and said second plurality of orifices has a second linear density, wherein said first linear density is different from said second linear density.

16. The common reactant gas injector according to claim 11, wherein said reactant gas injector comprises at least one ring injector.

17. The common reactant gas injector according to claim 11, wherein said reactant gas injector comprises a first reactant gas injector for injecting said reactant gas into said first plasma at a first predetermined flow rate and a second reactant gas injector for injecting said reactant gas into said second plasma at a second predetermined flow rate, wherein said first reactant gas injector is separate from said second reactant gas injector, and wherein at least one of said first predetermined flow rate and said second predetermined flow rate is independently controllable.

18. The common reactant gas injector according to claim 17, wherein said first predetermined flow rate is different from said second predetermined flow rate.

19. An apparatus for depositing a uniform coating on surface of a non-planar substrate, said apparatus comprising:

a) at least one array of a plurality of plasma sources for generating a plurality of plasmas, wherein at least one of said plurality of plasma sources is an expanding thermal plasma source, wherein each of said plurality of plasma sources includes a cathode, an anode, and an inlet for a non-reactive plasma source gas disposed in a plasma chamber which is maintained at a first predetermined pressure;

b) a deposition chamber for containing said non-planar substrate, wherein said deposition chamber is in fluid communication with said plasma chamber, and wherein said deposition chamber is maintained at a second predetermined pressure said second predetermined pressure being less than said first predetermined pressure; and

c) at least one common reactant gas injector disposed in said deposition chamber for injecting at least one reactant gas by differential flow into said plurality of plasmas such that a first flow rate of said at least one reactant gas into a first plasma generated by a first plasma source in said at least one array is different from a second flow rate of said at least one reactant gas into a second plasma generated by a second plasma source in said at least one array, said at least one reactor injector comprising;

(i) at least one reactant gas inlet comprising a tubular-walled structure having an interior space through which said at least one reactant gas is supplied from a reactant gas source;

(ii) a first plurality of orifices proximate to said first plasma, each of said first plurality of orifices extending through said tubular-walled structure from said interior space to an outer surface of said reactant gas inlet, wherein said first plurality of orifices is oriented such that said at least one reactant gas passes from said interior space through said first plurality of orifices and is directed into said first plasma at a first flow rate; and

(iii) a second plurality of orifices proximate to said second plasma, each of said second plurality of orifices extending through said tubular-walled structure from said interior space to an outer surface of said at least one reactant gas inlet, wherein said second plurality of orifices is oriented such that said at least one reactant gas passes from said interior space through said second plurality of orifices and is directed into said second plasma at a second flow rate such that said plurality of plasmas impinges upon a first region of said surface of said non-planar substrate and a second region of said surface of said non-planar substrate to form a coating of substantially uniform thickness, wherein said first region is located at a first working distance from said plurality of plasma sources and said second region is located at a second working distance from said plurality of plasma sources, said first working distance being greater than said second working distance.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said first plurality of orifices comprises a first predetermined number of orifices and said second plurality of orifices comprises a second predetermined number of orifices.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said first predetermined number is different from said second predetermined number.

22. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said first plurality of orifices has a first linear density and said second plurality of orifices has a second linear density, wherein said first linear density is different from said second linear density.

23. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein each of said first plurality of orifices has a first conductance, and each of said second plurality of orifices has a second conductance, said second conductance being different from said first conductance.

24. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said common reactant gas injector comprises at least one ring injector.

25. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said common reactant gas injector comprises a first reactant gas injector for injecting said reactant gas into said first plasma at a first predetermined flow rate and a second reactant gas injector for injecting said reactant gas into said second plasma at a second predetermined flow rate wherein said first reactant gas injector is separate from said second reactant gas injector, and wherein at least one of said first predetermined flow rate and said second predetermined flow rate is independently controllable.

26. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said first predetermined flow rate is different from said second predetermined flow rate.

27. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said at least one array includes at least one three dimensional array of said plurality of plasma sources.

28. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said at least one array includes at least one linear array of said plurality of plasma sources.

29. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said at least one array includes at least one two dimensional array of said plurality of plasma sources.

30. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said first predetermined pressure is at least about 0.1 atmosphere.

31. The apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said first predetermined pressure is about 1 atmosphere.

32. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said second predetermined pressure is less than about 1 torr.

33. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said second predetermined pressure is less than about 100 millitorr.

34. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said plasma source gas comprises at least one of argon, nitrogen, hydrogen, helium, neon, krypton, and xenon.