Nano-coating protection method for electrical devices
Introduced here is a plasma polymerization apparatus and process. Example embodiments include a vacuum chamber in a substantially symmetrical shape to a central axis. A rotation rack may be operable to rotate about the central axis of the vacuum chamber. Additionally, reactive species discharge mechanisms positioned around a perimeter of the vacuum chamber in a substantially symmetrical manner from the outer perimeter of the vacuum chamber may be configured to disperse reactive species into the vacuum chamber. The reactive species may form a polymeric multi-layer coating on surfaces of the one or more devices. Each layer may have a different composition of atoms to enhance the water resistance, corrosion resistance, and fiction resistance of the polymeric multi-layer coating.
1. A method for applying a multi-layer coating on an electrical device in a reaction chamber, the method comprising, for at least a transition layer of the multi-layer coating deposited on the electrical device and a surface layer deposited on the transition layer:
applying a periodic electrical discharge to a metal gate to periodically direct plasma from a discharge cavity into the reaction chamber to generate a reactive species, wherein the periodic electrical discharge includes:
(1) a plasma-on period when electrical discharge is applied to the metal gate to direct plasma into the reaction chamber to generate a reactive species and a first polymeric sublayer is formed on the electrical device when the reactive species undergoes a fragmentation-polyrecombination process; and
(2) a plasma-off period when electrical discharge is not applied to the metal gate, wherein a second polymeric sublayer is formed on the electrical device when the reactive species undergoes a radical chain propagation process,
wherein the applying the periodic electrical discharge comprises controlling the plasma-on period and the plasma-off period such that the second polymeric sublayer occupies a greater portion of the transition layer or the surface layer than the first polymeric sublayer,
wherein the multi-layer comprises a gradual structure in which a thickness of each layer decreases as compared to a previous layer.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the periodic electrical discharge is applied according to a discontinuous pulse waveform.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the periodic electrical discharge is applied according to a sawtooth waveform, a sine waveform, a square waveform, a full-wave rectifying waveform, a half-wave rectifying waveform, or a discontinuous pulse waveform.
4. The method of claim 1 , comprising: alternating between the first polymeric sublayer and the second polymeric sublayer to dissipate energy from the first polymeric sublayer and second polymeric sublayer.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
rotating, during formation of the first polymeric sublayer and second polymeric sublayer, the electrical device along a central axis of the reaction chamber.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
rotating, during formation of the first polymeric sublayer and second polymeric sublayer, the electrical device along a planetary axis distal to the central axis of the reaction chamber.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the rotation along the planetary axis varies an orientation of the electrical device relative to the central axis.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein a rotational rate of the electrical device along the planetary axis is adjusted independently from the rotational rate of the electrical device along the central axis.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein combined rotation along the central axis and planetary axis results in a movement of the electrical device in a linear reciprocating motion or a curvilinear motion relative to the reaction chamber.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the curvilinear motion comprises one or more of: a circular motion along a central axis, an elliptical motion along a central axis, a circular motion with an axis distal to the central axis, or a spherical motion.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
pretreating, prior to applying the first polymeric sublayer and second polymeric sublayer, a surface of the electrical device by evacuating an atmosphere in the reaction chamber and discharging a pretreatment plasma to remove impurities from the surface of the electrical device.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
generating the pretreatment plasma by applying an electrical charge to a porous electrode in the reaction chamber.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
a monomer vapor releases a first reactive species when energy from the plasma generated by a constant electrical charge is transferred to the monomer vapor; and the monomer vapor releases a second reactive species when energy from the plasma generated by a non-constant electrical charge is transferred to the monomer vapor.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrical device is a household appliance, a mobile device, a computing device, a display device, or a wearable device.
15. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
forming a gradual structure of the multi-layer coating by changing a thickness of each sublayer during the plasma-on period and the plasma-off period.
16. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
forming the multi-layer coating by alternating the plasma-on period and the plasma-off period.