The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 13, 1991
Filed:
Aug. 13, 1990
Stefan Zukotynski, Richmond Hill, Ontario, CA;
Romon V Kruzelecky, Hamilton, Ontario, CA;
Franco Gaspari, Don Mills, Ontario, CA;
Clement I Ukah, Toronto, Ontario, CA;
Other;
Abstract
The invention provides new methods and apparatus for the deposition of materials on substrates by the use of a D.C. glow discharge, sometimes also called a plasma discharge. A precursor gas (or gases) is introduced at low pressure (10-500 milliTor) into an enclosure containing two spaced parallel cathode electrodes and an intermediate parallel anode electrode, preferably midway between the two cathodes, which anode electrode is permeable to at least electrons of the glow or plasma discharge. Upon application of a suitable positive potential to the anode a deposition plasma is generated in the space on both sides of the anode. The plasma of charged and neutral radicals moves to the cathodes both by charge attraction and by diffusion, facilitated by gas flow toward the cathodes, giving high quality films at increased deposition rates, higher possible discharge current densities, lower gas pressures with consequent gas economy and safety, improved film adhesion, and greater independence of these parameters from one another than has been possible with the prior art processes. To avoid encroachment of the plasma on the cathodes and substrates supplementary ion permeable cathode electrodes may be interposed between the first-mentioned cathodes and the anode close to the former.