초록 ▼

An ion beam deposition method is provided for manufacturing a coated substrate with improved wear-resistance, and improved lifetime. The substrate is first chemically cleaned to remove contaminants. Secondly, the substrate is inserted into a vacuum chamber onto a substrate holder, and the air therei

An ion beam deposition method is provided for manufacturing a coated substrate with improved wear-resistance, and improved lifetime. The substrate is first chemically cleaned to remove contaminants. Secondly, the substrate is inserted into a vacuum chamber onto a substrate holder, and the air therein is evacuated via pump. Then the substrate surface is bombarded with energetic ions from an ion beam source supplied from inert or reactive gas inlets to assist in removing residual hydrocarbons and surface oxides, and activating the surface. After sputter-etching the surface, a protective, wear-resistant coating is deposited by plasma ion beam deposition where a portion of the precursor gases are introduced into the ion beam downstream of the ion source, and hydrogen is introduced directly into the ion source plasma chamber. The plasma ion beam-deposited coating may contain one or more layers. Once the chosen coating thickness is achieved, deposition is terminated, vacuum chamber pressure is increased to atmospheric and the coated substrate products having wear-resistance greater than glass are removed from the chamber. These coated products may be ceramics, architectural glass, analytical instrument windows, automotive windshields, and laser bar code scanners for use in retail stores and supermarkets.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A method for producing an optically transparent coating on the exposed surface of a substrate comprising in sequence:(a) chemically cleaning the surface of said substrate to remove residual hydrocarbons and other contaminants;(b) mounting said substrate in a deposition va

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A method for producing an optically transparent coating on the exposed surface of a substrate comprising in sequence:(a) chemically cleaning the surface of said substrate to remove residual hydrocarbons and other contaminants;(b) mounting said substrate in a deposition vacuum chamber and evacuating the air from said chamber;(c) sputter-etching the surface of said substrate with a beam of ions to further remove residual hydrocarbons and other surface contaminants, and to activate the surface;(d) plasma ion beam depositing using silicon-containing precursor gases at least one layer of an amorphous material selected from the group consisting of a silicon oxide, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, silicon oxy-carbide, silicon oxy-carbonitride, and silicon oxy-nitride and using a gridless ion source having a plasma chamber therein, wherein a plasma is generated in the plasma chamber and wherein a gas stream containing at least a portion of said precursor gases is introduced outside of the ion source and into the plasma ion beam, and a gas stream containing hydrogen is introduced directly into said plasma chamber during the deposition;(e) increasing the vacuum chamber pressure to atmospheric pressure; and(f) recovering a coated substrate product with an abrasion resistance greater than the abrasion resistance of glass lenses.