Sub-One Technology, Inc.

Other

William John Boardman

Andrew William Tudhope

Thomas B Casserly

Raul Donate Mercado

Deepak Upadhyaya

Karthik Boinapally

Frederick Contreras

Duc Doan

Matthew MaMoody

Pankaj Jyoti Hazarika

Robert Martin Carlson

Charles N Dornfest

Steven F Sciamanna

Karthik Boinappaly

Rahul Ramamurti

A method and apparatus for plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition to an interior region of a hollow, tubular, high aspect ratio workpiece are disclosed. A plurality of anodes are disposed in axially spaced apart arrangement, to the interior of the workpiece. A process gas is introduced into the region. A respective individualized DC or pulsed DC bias is applied to each of the anodes. The bias excites the process gas into a plasma. The workpiece is biased in a hollow cathode arrangement. Pressure is controlled in the interior region to maintain the plasma. An elongated support tube arranges the anodes, and receives a process gas tube. A current splitter provides a respective selected proportion of a total current to each anode. One or more notch diffusers or chamber diffusers may diffuse the process gas or a plasma moderating gas. Plasma impedance and distribution may be controlled using various means.

Multiple anode plasma for CVD in a hollow article

Chemical vapor deposition for an interior of a hollow article with high aspect ratio

Enhanced corrosion resistance is achieved in a coating by using a germanium-containing precursor and hollow cathode techniques to form a first layer directly on the surface of a workpiece, prior to forming an outer layer, such as a layer of diamond-like carbon (DLC). The use of a germanium or germanium-carbide precursor reduces film stress and enables an increase in the thickness of the subsequently formed DLC. Germanium incorporation also reduces the porosity of the layer. In one embodiment, a cap layer containing germanium is added after the DLC in order to further reduce the susceptibility of the coating to chemical penetration from the top.

Corrosion-resistant internal coating method using a germanium-containing precursor and hollow cathode techniques

A method of coating at least one exterior surface of at least one workpiece is disclosed. The method may be used for coating inner and outer surfaces of pipes. A hollow workpiece is positioned within a chamber. A spacing between a multi-dimensional interior surface of the chamber and an exterior surface of the workpiece is fixed. Conditions are established to maintain a hollow cathode effect within the spacing and within the hollow workpiece. The conditions include biasing anodes at opposite ends of a hollow cathode effect region, and biasing the interior surface of the chamber and the workpiece as cathodes. The interior surface and the workpiece may be maintained at a common bias voltage or, in at least one embodiment, at differing voltages.

Method of coating inner and outer surfaces of pipes for thermal solar and other applications

A method of forming a diamond-like carbon coating by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition on an internal surface of a hollow component having an inner surface. A reduced atmospheric pressure is created within a pipe or other hollow component to be treated. A diamondoid precursor gas is introduced to the interior of the component. A bias voltage is established between a first electrode and one or more second electrodes. The first electrode is or is attached to the component. The second electrode is externally offset from an opening of the component, by a hollow insulator. A plasma region is established adjacent an inner surface of the component and extends through the hollow insulator. The precursor gas comprises at least one diamondoid. The pressure and bias voltage are selected such as to cause the deposition of diamond-like carbon on the inner surface.

Method for producing diamond-like carbon coatings using PECVD and diamondoid precursors on internal surfaces of a hollow component

An apparatus for coating surfaces of a workpiece configured to establish a pressure gradient within internal passageways through the workpiece, so that the coating within the internal passageways exhibits intended characteristics, such as those relating to smoothness or hardness. The coating apparatus may include any or all of a number of cooperative systems, including a plasma generation system, a manipulable workpiece support system, an ionization excitation system configured to increase ionization within or around the workpiece, a biasing system for applying a selected voltage pattern to the workpiece, and a two-chamber system that enables the plasma generation to take place at a first selected pressure and the deposition to occur at a second selected pressure.

Method for directing plasma flow to coat internal passageways

A system () for coating surfaces of a workpiece () comprises a biasing system () for connection to said workpiece () and an anode () such as to negatively bias the workpiece relative to the anode and a vacuum source () for evacuating an interior of the workpiece (). A gas supply () is employed for introducing a gas containing a treatment material to said workpiece and a control system () controls the biasing system (), the vacuum source () and the gas supply () so as to establish a hollow cathode effect within the workpiece (). A pair of coupling heads () are supported on articulated arms () movable in one or more of three axes and include removable shields () to protect the heads () and an anode mount () for receiving an anode (). The articulated arms allow the system to accommodate a plurality of different shaped and different sized workpieces while the shields protect the coupling heads during a deposition process.

System and method for treating surfaces of components

Plasma Enhanced Bonding (PEB) during a coating process is used to improve both adhesion and corrosion resistance of the resulting coating. New interfacial compounds may be formed, offering the increased resistance to corrosion, as well as enhanced bonding to the workpiece being coated and any subsequently formed layer, such as diamond-like carbon. In one embodiment, the PEB processing is employed during coating of at least one interior surface of the workpiece, which may be a pipe. In a first step, a thin film is deposited. Then, the film is exposed to a high energy etch-back plasma. This two-step cycle of depositing a film and then providing bombardment of the film may be repeated a number of times. Typically, the deposition step of the cycle is much shorter than the bombardment step.

Plasma enhanced bonding for improving adhesion and corrosion resistance of deposited films

An electrode assembly comprises a coil of electrode material surrounded by a shield having one or more outlets and a supply of shielding gas directed along an axis X-X of said coil before exiting from said shield.

Electrode systems and methods of using electrodes

A method and system for coating the internal surfaces of a localized area or section of a workpiece is presented. Conductive structures are inserted into one or more openings of a workpiece to define the section to be coated. In some embodiments, a bias voltage is connected to a workpiece section, which functions as a cathode. A gas source and vacuum source are coupled to each conductive structure through a flow control system. The flow control system enables a first opening to function as a gas inlet and a second opening to function as a vacuum exhaust. Only the section encompassed by the conductive structures is coated. When the coating process is completed, a means for varying the conductive structures along the length is utilized to move onto the next section to be coated.

Method and system for coating sections of internal surfaces

A method and system for coating the internal surfaces of a workpiece is presented. A bias voltage is connected to a workpiece, which functions as a cathode. A gas source and a vacuum source are coupled to each opening through a flow control system. The flow control system is capable of a first mode which enables a first opening to function as a gas inlet and a second opening to function as a vacuum exhaust. The flow control system also has a second mode which enables a first opening to function as a vacuum exhaust and a second opening to function as a gas inlet. The cycling may also be used to coat internal surfaces of a workpiece with a single opening. Cycling the flow control system between the first mode and second mode is performed until a uniform coating along the internal surfaces of the workpiece is achieved.

Method and system for coating internal surfaces using reverse-flow cycling

An apparatus for coating surfaces of a workpiece is configured to establish a pressure gradient within internal passageways through the workpiece, so that the coating within the internal passageways exhibits intended characteristics, such as those relating to smoothness or hardness. The coating apparatus may include any or all of a number of cooperative systems, including a plasma generation system, a manipulable workpiece support system, an ionization excitation system configured to increase ionization within or around the workpiece, a biasing system for applying a selected voltage pattern to the workpiece, and a two-chamber system that enables the plasma generation to take place at a first selected pressure and the deposition to occur at a second selected pressure.

Apparatus for directing plasma flow to coat internal passageways

The coating of internal surfaces of a workpiece is achieved by connecting a bias voltage such that the workpiece functions as a cathode and by connecting an anode at each opening of the workpiece. A source gas is introduced at an entrance opening, while a vacuum source is connected at an exit opening. Pressure within the workpiece is monitored and the resulting pressure information is used for maintaining a condition that exhibits the hollow cathode effect. Optionally, a pre-cleaning may be provided by introducing a hydrocarbon mixture and applying a negative bias to the workpiece, so as to sputter contaminants from the workpiece using argon gas. Argon gas may also be introduced during the coating processing to re-sputter the coating, thereby improving uniformity along the length of the workpiece. The coating may be a diamond-like carbon material having properties which are determined by controlling ion bombardment energy.

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Danville, CA, United States of America

William John Boardman