IDEA #96I8L5 Filtered Vacuum-Arc Plasma Source For High Quality Coatings

AEROSPACE FILTERED VACUUMMARC PLASMA SOURCE FOR HIGH QUALITY COATINGS Description Developed a cathodic vacuum arc plasma source with a magnetic filter that turns the plasma stream 90°. T$shaped plasma duct with a system of intercepting screens and fins provides a significantlly higher degree of absorption of macroparticles when compared to conventional "torroidal" filters (more than an order of magnitude). A small ratio of curvature radius of the plasma duct to its inner radius, a large diameter of the plasma guiding channel (200 mm), and an optimal geometry of transporting magnetic fields ensure a high throughput of the filter – up to 55 %. Filtered plasma source proposed may be used in new vacuum$arc industrial setups for the ion plasma processing of mate$rials including deposition of high quality coatings. Fig. 1. TMshaped filtered vacuumMarc plasma source for diamondM like coating (DLC) deposition. Coating deposition rate is 6 μm/h at the diameter 20 cm Innovative Aspect and Main Advantages Efficiency of the main versions of known systems and our results Fig. 2. Elements of the gas dynamic bearing with DLC coatings (convex hemispheres) and with TiN coatings (concave hemiM spheres) The ratio of the total ion flow at the channel exit to the dis$ charge current (Ii/Id) – the system efficiency coefficient – is commonly assumed to be the criterion of plasma passage efficiency through the system as a whole (generator + filter). Areas of Application Filtered vacuum$arc plasma source described can be used for the following coating deposition: DLC, metals (Ti, Cr, Nb, Mo, Cu, Al, etc.), alloys, nitrides, oxides, carbides, composites, multilayers. – – Above mentioned filtered plasma source may be used: – in new vacuum$arc industrial equipment for the ion plasma processing of materials including deposition of high quality micro$ and nanostructural coatings;· when upgrading of existent vacuum$arc equipment for widening their technological potentiality; · for high quality coatings deposition processes in ma$ chine building, fine mechanics, microelectronics, op$ tics, automobile industries, etc. Such coatings can be used as: wear$resistant coatings at surfaces of fine mechanic ele$ ments (hydrodynamic and electrostatic supports of gyroscopes and centrifuges, pistons of fuel pumps, etc.); decorative coatings; hard protective coatings on magnetic and optic devices; transparent conducting oxide films in solar sells; low$e films on architectonic glass; protective biologically indifferent coatings; "back$end" metal layers in ultra large scale integrated circuits. – – – – – – – 70 Stage of Development Prototype available for testing; patented in USA. Contact Details National Science Centre "Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology" Akademicheskaya, 1, Kharkov 61108, Ukraine Volodymyr Strelnytskiy Tel/fax: + 38$057$3356561 EMmail: strelnitskij@kipt.kharkov.ua SCIENCE AND INNOVATION. № 4, 2006