Method for producing metal oxide layers through arc vaporization

• US 9,611,538 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2009
• Issued: 04/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oerlikon Surface Solutions Ag, PfAffikon (OC Oerlikon Corporation AG)
• Original Assignee: Oerlikon Surface Solutions Ag, PfAffikon (OC Oerlikon Corporation AG)
• Inventors: Ramm, Jrgen, Widrig, Beno
• Primary Examiner(s): Olsen, Kaj K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Christie, Ross J
• Application Number:
  US12/429,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20090269600A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,902 Days
• Field of Search: 423595, 4284722, 20419212, 20419215
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2998/00 Supplementary information concerning processes or compositions relating to powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/15 Hot isostatic pressing
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 1/0416 Aluminium-based alloys
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/0036 Reactive sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/08 Oxides C23C14/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/081 of aluminium, magnesium or beryllium
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/083 of refractory metals or yttrium
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/325 Electric arc evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/3414 Metallurgical or chemical aspects of target preparation, e.g. casting, powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12028 Composite; i.e., plural, adjacent, spatially distinct metal components [e.g., layers, etc.]

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing oxidic layers by means of PVD (physical vapor deposition), in particular by means of cathodic arc vaporization, wherein a powder-metallurgical target is vaporized and the powder-metallic target is formed of at least two metallic or semi-metallic components, the composition of the metallic or semi-metallic components of the target being chosen in such a manner that during heating in the transition from the room temperature into the liquid phase no phase boundary of purely solid phases, based on the phase diagram of a molten mixture of the at least two metallic or semi-metallic components, is crossed.

Claims

1. A method for producing oxidic layers by means of physical vapor deposition (PVD), comprising:

forming a powder-metallurgical target comprising a composition from the group consisting of A1V, with Al ranging from 92 at % to 97 at % and V ranging from to 3 at % to 8 at %, and AlCr, with Al ranging from 80 at % to 90 at % and Cr ranging from 10 at % to 20 at %, the composition being chosen in such a manner that during heating in a transition from room temperature into a liquid phase no phase boundary of purely solid phases, based on a phase diagram of a molten mixture of the composition, is crossed; and

vaporizing the powder-metallurgical target by means of cathodic arc vaporization in a reactive atmosphere comprising oxygen as reactive gas in order to produce the oxidic layers.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the oxidic layer has a proportion of more than 70 at % aluminum oxide in corundum structure by using the powder-metallurgical target, and

wherein the composition of the powder-metallurgical target has a transition into the liquid phase between 1000°

C. and 1200°

C.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the powder-metallurgical target has particle sizes less than 300 μ

m.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein, when the oxidic layers include ternary or higher oxides stable at high temperature, the composition of the powder-metallurgical target is chosen in such a way that, according to the phase diagram of the molten mixture of the composition, with the transition into the liquid phase, a formation temperature is essentially determined.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, while avoiding splatters, primary powders from phase mixtures are used for the forming of the powder-metallurgical target, each of the primary powders having a composition for which, during heating in the transition from the room temperature into the liquid phase, no phase boundaries of purely solid phases are crossed.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the particle sizes are less than 200 μ

m.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein the particle sizes are less than 100 μ

m.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the powder-metallurgical target consists essentially of the composition from the group consisting of A1V, with Al ranging from 92 at % to 97 at % and V ranging from to 3 at % to 8 at %, and AlCr, with Al ranging from 80 at % to 90 at % and Cr ranging from 10 at % to 20 at %.