Patent · US Expired

Ionized cluster beam deposition of sapphire

US5350607A · kind A · utility

44Cited by
12References
25Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 2, 1992
Grant dateSep 27, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 2, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC30B29/20
  • WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

Sapphire, a highly stable oxide of aluminum having the chemical formula of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, is placed in a crucible. The crucible is heated to vaporize the sapphire therein. The sapphire vapor is ejected through a nozzle in the crucible and into a region having a vacuum pressure of approximately 10.sup.-5 Torr or less. As the vapor leaves the crucible through the nozzle, atom aggregates or clusters are formed through a supercooled phenomenon due to adiabatic expansion. The vacuum region has disposed therein a substrate comprised of one of various materials, including metals, oxides or silicon. The sapphire vapor is accelerated towards the substrate where it deposits on a surface of the substrate in a uniformly distributed thin layer.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.