Rickey Leonard Salter

Title: The Innovative Contributions of Rickey Leonard Salter

Introduction

Rickey Leonard Salter is a notable inventor based in Northampton, PA (US). He has made significant contributions to the field of coatings technology, particularly through his innovative methods for applying diamond-like carbon coatings.

Latest Patents

Salter holds a patent for a "Method and apparatus for deposition of diamond-like carbon coatings." This invention focuses on the RF plasma deposition of diamond-like carbon (DLC) and related hard coatings onto the surfaces of drills, especially microdrills used in printed circuit boards. The method involves a unique apparatus where the drills are the only negatively biased surfaces in the capacitively-coupled system. The process begins with chemically de-greasing the drills, followed by their insertion into an electronically masked coating fixture. This fixture is then placed in a plasma deposition vacuum chamber, where a capacitive RF plasma is ignited to prepare the surface for coating. The invention emphasizes the importance of sputter-etching to remove contaminants and activate the surface before applying a silicon-containing material layer, which can serve as an adhesion layer for subsequent DLC deposition.

Career Highlights

Rickey Leonard Salter is associated with Monsanto Company, where he has applied his expertise in coatings technology. His work has contributed to advancements in the manufacturing processes of microdrills, enhancing their performance and durability.

Collaborations

Salter has collaborated with notable colleagues such as Rudolph Hugo Petrmichl and Ray Hays Venable. These partnerships have likely fostered innovation and development in their respective fields.

Conclusion

Rickey Leonard Salter's contributions to the field of coatings technology, particularly through his patented methods for diamond-like carbon deposition, highlight his role as an influential inventor. His work continues to impact the industry positively.