초록 ▼

An apparatus and method for applying hard surface coatings to articles of manufacture such as particles, filaments, sphereoids, rollers, bearings, tools, and assemblies. In one form, coating of hard surface film, such as synthetic diamond, is effected while the objects fall freely through space in a

An apparatus and method for applying hard surface coatings to articles of manufacture such as particles, filaments, sphereoids, rollers, bearings, tools, and assemblies. In one form, coating of hard surface film, such as synthetic diamond, is effected while the objects fall freely through space in a coating chamber. In another form, coating is effected while particles are fluidized by gas containing molecules which are formed of matter to be deposited by gas or chemical vapor deposition employing high energy radiation, such as microwave energy and/or other form of radiation. In other forms, an ion beam or beams containing hot carbon ions is directed through a fluidized bed of particles to be coated or through a chamber in which small objects are made to continuously fall freely through space to coat same with carbon in the form of synthetic diamond. In another method, such small objects are caused to continuously tumble through a coating region of a coating chamber into which is directed gas and/or vapor containing molecules of a hydrocarbon, such as methane, and hydrogen, while microwave energy is directed through such region. Other forms of the invention include the selective deposition and coating of synthetic diamond onto substrates to form or protect microminiature electronic circuits and circuit elements such as transistors and interconnects and to protect bonds such as welds, or to form bonds between components joined together thereby. In yet another form, hard synthetic diamond coatings are deposited per se or in combination with other materials, by a hybrid process including chemical vapor deposition, ion deposition by beam(s), sputtering and the like.

대표청구항 ▼

A method of coating particles with a hard surfacing material comprising: (a) levitating a plurality of particles of hard solid material in a reaction zone of a reaction chamber by upwardly directing a plurality of streams of a fluid formed of gas molecules containing carbon atoms through said reacti

A method of coating particles with a hard surfacing material comprising: (a) levitating a plurality of particles of hard solid material in a reaction zone of a reaction chamber by upwardly directing a plurality of streams of a fluid formed of gas molecules containing carbon atoms through said reaction chamber and, while said particles are so levitated, (b) maintaining an above atmospheric gas pressure in said chamber and causing said particles to make contact with molecules of said fluid which molecules contain carbon atoms, and (c) passing radiant energy through the molecules of said fluid and against said particles while they are levitated, which radiant energy is operable to react on both said fluid molecules and said particles in a manner to cause carbon atoms of said fluid to deposit as a hard synthetic diamond layer completely surrounding and coating said particles to define the entire outer surface of each of said particles composed of synthetic diamond. A method for forming synthetic diamond coatings on particles which coatings define a hard surfacing wear resistant material comprising: (a) admitting a plurality of solid hard particles to a reaction chamber containing a gas at an above atmospheric pressure and having molecules containing carbon atoms and causing said particles to be disposed freely in the gas of said chamber and apart from each other during at least part of the time they are disposed in said chamber while said gas is pressurized above the pressure of the atmosphere, (b) causing said solid hard particles to make contact with molecules of said gas containing said carbon atoms, and (c) passing microwave energy through the interior of said chamber to cause said microwave energy to intersect molecules of said pressuring gas and said particles, which microwave energy is generated at sufficient intensity and for a sufficient period of time to react on said gas in a manner to cause carbon atoms of said gas to deposit and form a hard synthetic diamond coating on said particles.