JPH01219155A - Laser vapor deposition apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To carry out the uniform vapor deposition of ceramics and to make an apparatus compact by dividing a laser beam to project the divided laser beams onto dissimilar positions in ceramics and also providing a means of moving a material to be subjected to vapor deposition. CONSTITUTION:A laser beam emitted from a laser generator 4 provided outside a vacuum chamber is alternately reflected by means of a beam splitter 5 or a reflecting mirror 6, respectively. The resulting reflected beams are focused through a condenser lens 7 for common use, respectively, passed through a window 8, and made incident alternately upon points A, B apart from each other by a proper distance in an axial direction on a ceramics 2, which the ceramics 2 is evaporated and vapor-deposited onto the surface of a material 3 to be subjected to vapor deposition. Then, the material 3 is moved in a direction orthogonal to a line connecting the points A, B or moved so that it describes a curve of circular-arc shape, etc., around the line connecting the points A, B. By this method, the nonuniformity of film thickness can be improved and equipment can be simplified.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an apparatus for depositing ceramics onto an object to be deposited, such as tools, using a laser beam.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional laser evaporation apparatus (Industrial Materials Vol. 35, No. 9, p. 49), in which a ceramic 12 formed into a cylinder as an evaporation source and an object to be evaporated 13 are placed in a chamber 11. The laser beam emitted from the laser oscillator 14 is made incident on the circumferential surface of the ceramics 12 through the reflection m16, the condensing lens 17, and the chamber window 18, thereby melting and vaporizing the ceramics 12. The vapor is deposited on the surface of a heated object 13.

Furthermore, FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a conventional general vapor deposition apparatus using an electron beam (Kogyo Materials Vol. 31, No. 12, page 86), in which a vapor deposition substance 22 is placed in the lower part of a chamber 21.
Moreover, the objects 23 to be vaporized are placed above the objects 23 using a rotating and revolving jig 24, and while the objects 23 to be vaporized are heated by the heater 29, an electron beam is projected onto the vapor deposition material 22 to evaporate it. The vapor deposition material 23 is made to be uniformly vapor-deposited.

The rotation/revolution jig 24 is constructed by pivotally supporting rotary tables 24b at multiple locations in the circumferential direction near the periphery of a rotary disk 24a.The object to be deposited 23 is set on each rotary table 24b, and The rotary table 24b is rotated while being rotated by the rotary plate 24a to change the relative position with respect to the vapor deposition substance 22, thereby making it possible to perform uniform vapor deposition of the ceramic.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

By the way, in the conventional apparatus as described above, in the former case, the ceramic 12 is rotated to reduce the effect of deformation of the ceramic 12 itself due to melting, but the deposition target 13 is fixed. However, there is a problem in that the thickness of the vapor-deposited ceramic becomes non-uniform depending on the shape of the object 13 to be vapor-deposited. Furthermore, although the latter device can achieve a relatively uniform film thickness, there is a problem in that the use of the revolving jig 24 increases the size of the equipment and increases the cost of the equipment.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to enable uniform vapor deposition of a ceramic film without using a revolving jig, and which is inexpensive and easy to miniaturize using laser vapor deposition. We are in the process of providing equipment.

[Means for Solving the Problems] A laser vapor deposition apparatus according to the present invention includes an optical system that divides a laser beam into at least two parts and projects each laser beam onto different positions on a ceramic, and and means for rotationally moving it.

[Effect]

According to the present invention, a ceramic thin film having a uniform thickness can be formed on the surface of the object by vapor from a plurality of ceramic evaporation sources without changing the relative position between the evaporation source and the object to be evaporated. becomes possible.

〔Example〕

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be specifically described below based on drawings showing embodiments thereof.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a laser vapor deposition apparatus according to the present invention,
In the figure, reference numeral 2 indicates a cylindrical ceramic material serving as an evaporation source, and reference numeral 3 indicates an object to be evaporated made of, for example, metal, ceramic, or the like.

The ceramic 2 and the object 3 to be evaporated are placed in a chamber (not shown) with a predetermined distance therebetween, with the peripheral surface of the ceramic 2 facing the surface of the object 3 to be evaporated. The ceramic 2 is arranged so that it can rotate along its axis and move in the axial direction, and the deposition target 3 is arranged so that it can reciprocate in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the ceramic 2. .

A laser oscillator 4 is disposed outside the chamber, and the laser beam LB emitted from the laser oscillator 4 is alternately reflected by a beam splinter 5 or a reflecting mirror 6 constituting an optical system, and is reflected by a condenser lens 7 which also serves as a condenser lens. A is focused at a suitable distance in the axial direction of the ceramic 2 through the window 8 of the chamber.

The beams are made to be incident on point B alternately.

FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B) are explanatory diagrams showing how the laser beam is divided. The beam splitter 5 is configured to rotate a reflecting plate 5a in the shape of a half-disk by a motor M at a predetermined speed within the transmission range of the laser beam LB. During approximately A rotation across the
During the other A rotations, the light is reflected by the reflecting mirror 6 and is made to enter the condenser lens 7.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the distribution of the thickness of the deposited film on the surface of the object to be deposited when the apparatus of the present invention is used. Now Ceramics 2 A
The film thickness distribution of the vapor deposited film evaporated by the laser beam LB projected onto the point and deposited on the surface of the vapor deposition object 3 is as shown by the dashed line (the film is evaporated at point A1 on the surface of the vapor deposition object 3 corresponding to point A). The thickness is the largest and gradually decreases as you move away from this point.

They form concentric circles centered on the point. On the other hand, ceramics 20
It is evaporated by the laser beam LB projected at point B,
The film thickness distribution of the vapor deposited film deposited on the surface of the vapor deposition object 3 is as shown by the two-dot chain line.The film thickness is greatest at point B on the surface of the vapor deposition object 3 corresponding to point B, and gradually decreases as the distance from this point increases. This results in concentric circles centered on 83 points.

Therefore, the film thickness distribution of the vapor deposited film evaporated by the laser beam LB projected at points A and B and deposited on the surface of the deposition target 3 is as shown by the solid line, which is the sum of the film thicknesses of the former two, The non-uniformity of the film thickness in the direction connecting points A and B, which are the projection points of the laser beam LB, is significantly improved.

Therefore, move the deposition object 3 in a direction perpendicular to the line connecting points A and B,
That is, if you move it linearly in the direction shown by the arrow in Figure 1,
The non-uniformity of the film thickness in this direction can also be improved.

Although the above embodiment has been described using a beam splitter as the means for dividing the laser beam, the invention is not limited to this in any way; a half mirror may be used as the means for dividing the laser beam, and the number of divisions may be two or more. You can divide it into any number of parts.

In addition, although the moving direction of the deposition target 3 has been explained in the case where it is moved in a straight line in the direction perpendicular to the line connecting the incident points A and B of the laser beam on the ceramic 2, It is also possible to perform a curved movement such as an arc shape or an elliptical shape.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, in the apparatus of the present invention, the laser beam is divided into two or more and is projected onto different positions on the ceramic to perform the vapor deposition, so that it is easy to achieve uniformity of the thickness of the vapor deposited film on the object to be vaporized. The present invention has excellent effects, such as simplifying the operation of the evaporation object relative to the ceramics that is the evaporation source, simplifying the equipment, and reducing costs.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 (A). (b) is an explanatory diagram showing how the laser beam is divided, FIG.
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of each conventional device. 2...Ceramics 3...Deposition object 4...Laser oscillator 5...Beam splinter 6...Reflection chain
7... Condensing lens 8... Window In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts. Agent Masu Oiwa Yumi 1 Σ (b) Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure $4 Figure 57 Procedural amendment (voluntary) 1. Indication of case Patent application No. 1988-45101 2.
Name of the invention: Laser vapor deposition device 3, relationship with the person making the amendment Patent applicant address: 2-2-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Name (601) Mitsubishi Electric Corporation Representative Moriya Shiki 4, Agent Address Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, 2-2-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Name (7375) Masuo Oiwa, patent attorney (contact information 03)
(213) 3421 Patent Department) 7'5, "Detailed Description of the Invention" column 6 of the specification to be amended, page 5, line 3 of the specification of the contents of the amendment, "Arranged so as to be reciprocally movable" Correct the statement "It is arranged so that it can be moved in a straight line."

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A laser evaporation apparatus that projects a laser beam onto a ceramic in a vacuum chamber to evaporate it and deposit it on the surface of an object to be evaporated, comprising: dividing the laser beam into at least two parts; A laser vapor deposition apparatus comprising: an optical system for projecting each divided laser beam onto different positions on a ceramic; and means for moving the object to be deposited in a straight line or in a curve.