Plasma source and methods for depositing thin film coatings using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition
The present invention provides novel plasma sources useful in the thin film coating arts and methods of using the same. More specifically, the present invention provides novel linear and two dimensional plasma sources that produce linear and two dimensional plasmas, respectively, that are useful for plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The present invention also provides methods of making thin film coatings and methods of increasing the coating efficiencies of such methods.
1. A product including a substrate and a coating deposited on the substrate, wherein the coating is formed using a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) method comprising the following steps:
a) providing a plasma that is linear that is made substantially uniform over its length in the substantial absence of Hall current;
b) providing precursor and reactant gases proximate to the plasma;
c) providing the substrate, wherein at least one surface of the substrate to be coated is proximate to the plasma;
d) energizing, partially decomposing, or fully decomposing the precursor gas; and
e) depositing the coating on the at least one surface of the substrate using PECVD;
wherein the depositing includes bonding or condensing a chemical fragment of the precursor gas containing a desired chemical element for coating on the at least one surface of the substrate.
2. A product according to claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises multiple layers.
3. A product according to claim 1 , wherein the coating is one of a dielectric coating, a transparent conductive coating, a semi-conducting coating, and a solar control coating.
4. A product according to claim 3 , wherein the coating is a semi-conducting coating comprising silicon.
5. A product according to claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises metals, transition metals, or combinations thereof.
6. A product according to claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises boron, carbon, silicon, germanium, or combinations thereof.
7. A product according to claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises an oxide, a nitride, or an oxynitride.
8. A product according to claim 7 , wherein the thin film coating comprises one of an oxide of silicon, titanium, and tin.
9. A product including a substrate and a coating deposited on the substrate, wherein the coating is formed using a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) method comprising the following steps:
a) providing a plasma that is two dimensional and is made substantially uniform in two dimensions in the substantial absence of Hall current;
b) providing precursor and reactant gases proximate to the plasma;
c) providing the substrate, wherein at least one surface of the substrate to be coated is proximate to the plasma;
d) energizing, partially decomposing, or fully decomposing the precursor gas; and
e) depositing the coating on the at least one surface of the substrate using PECVD;
wherein the depositing includes bonding or condensing a chemical fragment of the precursor gas containing a desired chemical element for coating on the at least one surface of the substrate.
10. A product according to claim 9 , wherein the coating comprises multiple layers.
11. A product according to claim 9 , wherein the coating is one of a dielectric coating, a transparent conductive coating, a semi-conducting coating, and a solar control coating.
12. A product according to claim 11 , wherein the coating is a semi-conducting coating comprising silicon.
13. A product according to claim 9 , wherein the coating comprises metals, transition metals, or combinations thereof.
14. A product according to claim 9 , wherein the coating comprises boron, carbon, silicon, germanium, or combinations thereof.
15. A product according to claim 9 , wherein the coating comprises an oxide, a nitride, or an oxynitride.
16. A product according to claim 15 , wherein the coating comprises one of an oxide of silicon, titanium, and tin.
17. A product including a substrate and a coating deposited on the substrate, wherein the coating is formed using a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) method comprising the following steps:
a) providing a plasma that is linear that is made substantially uniform over its length in the substantial absence of Hall current;
b) providing precursor and reactant gases proximate to the plasma;
c) providing the substrate, wherein at least one surface of the substrate to be coated is proximate to the plasma;
d) energizing, partially decomposing, or fully decomposing the precursor gas; and
e) depositing the coating on the at least one surface of the substrate using PECVD;
wherein the energizing, partially decomposing, or fully decomposing the precursor gas forms condensable molecular entities which adhere to the at least one surface of the substrate.
18. A product according to claim 17 , wherein the coating comprises multiple layers.
19. A product according to claim 17 , wherein the coating is one of a dielectric coating, a transparent conductive coating, a semi-conducting coating, and a solar control coating.
20. A product according to claim 19 , wherein the coating is a semi-conducting coating comprising silicon.
21. A product according to claim 17 , wherein the coating comprises metals, transition metals, or combinations thereof.
22. A product according to claim 17 , wherein the coating comprises boron, carbon, silicon, germanium, or combinations thereof.
23. A product according to claim 17 , wherein the coating comprises an oxide, a nitride, or an oxynitride.
24. A product according to claim 23 , wherein the coating comprises one of an oxide of silicon, titanium, and tin.
25. A product including a substrate and a coating deposited on the substrate, wherein the coating is formed using a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) method comprising the following steps:
a) providing a plasma that is two dimensional and is made substantially uniform in two dimensions in the substantial absence of Hall current;
b) providing precursor and reactant gases proximate to the plasma;
c) providing the substrate, wherein at least one surface of the substrate to be coated is proximate to the plasma;
d) energizing, partially decomposing, or fully decomposing the precursor gas; and
e) depositing the coating on the at least one surface of the substrate using PECVD;
wherein the energizing, partially decomposing, or fully decomposing the precursor gas forms condensable molecular entities which adhere to the at least one surface of the substrate.
26. A product according to claim 25 , wherein the coating comprises multiple layers.
27. A product according to claim 25 , wherein the coating is one of a dielectric coating, a transparent conductive coating, a semi-conducting coating, and a solar control coating.
28. A product according to claim 27 , wherein the coating is a semi-conducting coating comprising silicon.
29. A product according to claim 25 , wherein the coating comprises metals, transition metals, or combinations thereof.
30. A product according to claim 25 , wherein the coating comprises boron, carbon, silicon, germanium, or combinations thereof.
31. A product according to claim 25 , wherein the coating comprises an oxide, a nitride, or an oxynitride.
32. A product according to claim 31 , wherein the coating comprises one of an oxide of silicon, titanium, and tin.