DEPOSITION METHOD USING A THERMAL PLASMA EXPANDED BY A REPLACEABLE PLATE

• Main Authors: MIEBACH, THOMAS, IACOVANGELO, CHARLES, DOMINIC, SCHAEPKENS, MARK
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 17.12.2008
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; CHEMISTRY; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATIONOR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY IONIMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS; ELECTRICITY; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION INGENERAL; METALLURGY; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THESURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION

The present invention provides a deposition process for plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of a coating on a substrate. The process comprises detennining a target process condition within a chamber of an expanding thermal plasma generator; the generator comprising a cathode, a replaceable cascade plate and an anode comprising a concentric orifice; and thereafter replacing the cascade plate with another plate having a configured orifice to effect the identified target process condition. The plasma is then generated at the target process condition by providing a plasma gas to the plasma generator and ionizing the plasma gas in an arc between cathode and anode within the generator and expanding the gas as a plasma onto a substrate in a deposition chamber.