Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
  • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
  • C23C14/00—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
  • C23C14/04—Coating on selected surface areas, e.g. using masks
  • C23C14/042—Coating on selected surface areas, e.g. using masks using masks
  • C23C14/044—Coating on selected surface areas, e.g. using masks using masks using masks to redistribute rather than totally prevent coating, e.g. producing thickness gradient

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to the vacuum treatment of any substrate of the kind according to which, in accordance with a sputtering technique commonly known as "sputtering", the deposition is generally carried out in an enclosure.
• substrate of a layer of material coming from a given source of material, by subjecting for example this source of material, which then serves as cathode, to an appropriate ion bombardment from which it follows that particles are torn from it, and those -these then settle on the substrate.
• the treated substrate is a curved substrate, or even a strongly curved substrate, as is the case, at least, for certain spectacle lenses, and, in particular, for those of high power.
• curved substrate is meant, therefore, here, more generally, a substrate which, like a spectacle lens, comprises, in at least one transverse plane, a more or less accentuated curvature.
• the optical thickness of the deposited layer that is to say the product of the physical thickness of this layer by the refractive index of the material which constitutes. In the absence of good uniformity for this thickness, any residual reflection may lead to untimely iridescence.
• the thickness of the layer of material deposited is inversely proportional to the distance from the spectacle lens, or, in a more general, of the treated substrate, compared to the corresponding source of material.
• this distance is greater at its periphery than at its center, and the thickness of the deposit obtained is therefore smaller at this periphery than at this center.
• this difference in thickness can commonly reach 20% depending on the substrates and the enclosure used.
• the present invention generally relates to an arrangement which makes it very simple to reduce this difference in thickness.
• any curved substrate of the kind according to which the deposit is deposited on this curved substrate, a layer of material from 'a given source of material, this process being generally characterized in that one interposes, between the curved substrate and the material source, at a distance from the curved substrate, a fixed cover relative to the curved substrate; it also relates to any cache specific to the implementation of such a process.
• the cover used comprises, inside its annular part, at least one spider which connects two zones of this annular part, for example along a diameter thereof, with, possibly, in this case, according to a further development of the invention, outside the annular part, at each of the ends of such a spider, an arm which extends radially with respect to the annular part, in the extension of this spider.
• the difference in thickness observed between the periphery of the curved treated substrate and the center of the latter can advantageously be reduced, the other conditions being equal, less than 5%.
• the results obtained with a mask according to the invention are all the more surprising since, in practice, this mask can advantageously have, relatively to the curved substrate, a relatively reduced extension, which, if desired , makes it possible to limit the overall dimensions of the assembly to that of the single curved substrate, and this allows, as a corollary, to avoid possible shading difficulties.
• FIG. 1 A mask whose projection on a plane in a direction perpendicular to this plane has an area less than 10%, or even 5%, of the area of the projection of the curved substrate on this same plan.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a curved substrate to be treated, shown in place on a support, with the cover associated therewith according to the invention
• Figure 2 is an axial sectional view of the assembly, along the line II-II of Figure 1
• Figure 3 is, taken from Figure 1, but on a different scale, a perspective view of the cover according to the invention, shown in isolation
• Figure 4 is, on a larger scale, a partial view in axial section of this cover, along the line IV-IV of Figure 4
• Figure 5 is a partial perspective view similar to that of Figure 3, for an alternative embodiment
• Figure 6 is also a perspective view similar to that of Figure 3, for another alternative embodiment
• Figure 7 is, on a larger scale, a partial view in axial section of this other alternative embodiment, along the line VII-VII of Figure 6
• Figures 8, 9 and 10 are perspective views which, too, similar to that of Figure 3, each relate respectively to other embodiments of the cover according to the invention.
• FIGS. 1-10 illustrate, by way of example, the application of the invention in the case where the curved substrate 10 to be treated is a spectacle lens, or, more precisely, a puck, of circular outline, in which is then cut out a like glasses.
• D be the diameter of this curved substrate 10 along its contour. This diameter D-, is most often between 65 mm and 80 mm.
• the curved substrate 10 is, for example, concavo-convex.
• a curved substrate 10 When a vacuum treatment must be applied to it, such a curved substrate 10 is usually carried, by its periphery, by a support 1 1 suitable for its maintenance.
• This support 1 1 being well known in itself, and not belonging, in itself, to the present invention, it will not be described here.
• this support 1 1 can be of very diverse configurations, or even be perforated.
• the deposition is caused on the curved substrate 1 0 thus carried by a support 1 1, in an enclosure 1 2 shown diagrammatically in broken lines in FIG. 2, of a layer of material coming from a suitable source of material 1 3, itself shown diagrammatically in broken lines in this figure 2.
• a machine used for example for this purpose is marketed by the company APPLIED VISION Ltd, under the trade name PLASMACOAT AR.10
• the source of material 1 3 is set to a negative potential, to form a cathode, and we introduce, into the enclosure 1 2, on the one hand, for example by a nozzle 1 5, an inert gas, for example argon, and, on the other hand, for example by a nozzle 1 6, an active gas, for example oxygen.
• an inert gas for example argon
• an active gas for example oxygen
• a gas pressure greater than 0.1 Pa is used.
• this gas pressure is between 0.2 Pa and 2 Pa.
• the support 1 1 is, most often, and as shown, an individual support, and, with other supports 1 1 of the same type each carrying a curved substrate 10 to be treated, it is reported, as shown schematically in broken lines in Figure 2, on a collective support 1 8, for example in the form of a plate, rotatably mounted in the enclosure 1 2.
• the support 1 1 can just as easily pass linearly under the source of material 1 3
• the inert gas introduced by the nozzle 1 5 ionizes at its entry into the enclosure 1 2, forming in a way a plasma there, and the positive ions from which it is thus at the origin bombard the source of material 1 3, which forms the target, and they thus tear from this source of material 1 3 particles which, while combining with the active gas introduced by the nozzle 1 6, come to deposit on the curved substrate 1 0, by forming on the surface thereof the desired material layer.
• the cover 1 9 is chosen to have a cover comprising an annular part 20.
• this annular part 20 has a circular outline.
• a cover is chosen for cover 1 9 whose annular part 20 has, on the outside, a diameter D 2 less than twice the diameter D ⁇ of the curved substrate 10.
• a cover is preferably chosen for cover 1 9 whose annular part 20 has, externally, a diameter D 2 comprised between a quarter of the diameter D-, of the curved substrate 10 and twice this diameter D
• the cover 1 9 is, in practice, attached to the support 1 1 by a bracket 22, and it extends cantilevered from the end of the cross member 23 of this bracket 22
• this bracket 22 is as small as possible, in order to minimize the shading which it may cause when depositing material on the curved substrate 1 0.
• the cover 1 9 is preferably placed at a distance from the curved substrate 10, substantially parallel to the latter.
• d this distance, measured between the cover 1 9, at the bottom of the latter, and the highest point of the curved substrate 10, as noted in FIG. 2.
• this distance d is less than twice the diameter D, of the curved substrate 10.
• the cover 1 9 is reduced to its annular part 20.
• this annular part 20 is generally rectangular.
• H be its height, measured along the axis of the curved substrate 1 0, and, therefore, perpendicular to the support 1 1 carrying the latter, and let E be its radial thickness, measured parallel to this support 1 1.
• the annular part 20 of the cover 1 9 has, in cross section, a height H greater than its radial thickness E.
• this height H is less than 1 5 mm .
• it is between 1 mm and 15 mm. It is possible, moreover, to indicate, on this subject, by way of nonlimiting example, and under the same conditions as above, that satisfactory results have been obtained with a height H of between 1 mm and 10 mm.
• this radial thickness E is less than 1 mm. It is possible, moreover, to indicate on this subject, by way of nonlimiting example, and under the same conditions as above, that satisfactory results have been obtained with a radial thickness E of the order of 0.1 mm. It also appears that, to obtain satisfactory results, it is desirable to take into account the diameter D, of the curved substrate 1 0 to be treated in the choice of the diameter D 2 of the annular part 20 of the cover 1 9 put in action. According to the invention, steps are taken to comply with, to do this, at least one of the following formulas, and, preferably, each of them:
• D 1 CD 2 (III) in which, d, H, D ⁇ and D 2 are the parameters already specified above, and in which:
• A is a coefficient between 0.8 and 1, being for example of the order of 0.92
• B is a coefficient between 0.7 and 0.9, for example being of the order of 0.77 and C is a coefficient between 2 and 3, being for example of the order of 2.5.
• the height H has a value twice that which is hers in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3.
• the cover 1 9 comprises, inside its annular part 20, at least one spider 24 which connects two zones of this annular part to each other 20.
• a single cross-member 24 is provided, and this cross-member 24 extends along a diameter of the annular part 20.
• the cross section of this spider 24 is generally rectangular, and it extends substantially parallel to that of the annular part 20.
• the spider 24 has itself, in cross section, a height H 'equal to the height H of the annular portion 20, and a radial thickness E' equal to l 'radial thickness E of this annular part 20. It therefore extends level with the annular part 20, both on the side of one of the sections thereof and on the side of the other of these sections.
• the spider 24 may, as a variant, have, in cross section, a height H 'different from the height H of the annular part 20, and / or a radial thickness E' different from the radial thickness E of this annular part 20.
• the cover 1 9 according to the invention comprises at least two braces 24.
• these two cross-pieces 24 each have a constitution similar to that of the previous cross-piece 24.
• the cover 19 comprises, outside of its annular part 20, at least one arm 25, which extends radially relative to this annular part 20, in door false as of this one.
• this arm 25 has a structure similar to that of the braces 24, and it extends in the extension of such a brace 24.
• the height H of the annular part 20 of the cover 1 9 is equal to that of the embodiment of FIG. 3.
• this height H has a value equal to that of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5.
• this height H may be different.
• this height H of the annular part 20 of the cover 19 varies along the periphery thereof, extending, for example, between 2 mm and 15 mm, to take account relative movement between this cover 1 9 and the material source
• the shadow cast of the latter on the curved substrate 1 0 treated is advantageously particularly low.
• a cover is chosen for cover 1 9, the projection of which the projection onto a plane in a direction perpendicular to this plane has an area less than 10% of the surface of the projection of the substrate curved 10 on this same plane under the same conditions, the projection plane thus taken into account being for example that of the support 1 1 on which the curved substrate 10 is treated.
• a cover is preferably chosen for the cover 1 9 according to the invention, the projection of which, under the conditions indicated above, has an area less than 5% of the area of the projection of the curved substrate 10 .
• it can be either paper or stainless steel.
• the table below summarizes, figure by figure, the results obtained with the various embodiments succinctly described above.
• ⁇ gives, in percent, the difference in thickness observed for the deposit obtained during a given treatment between the periphery of the curved substrate 10 and the center of it.
• the outline of the annular part of the cover used is not necessarily circular.
• this outline could be elliptical.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Materials Engineering (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Metallurgy (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Physical Vapour Deposition (AREA)
• Laminated Bodies (AREA)

Priority Applications (7)

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Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

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Cited By (2)

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Citations (4)

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• 1998
  • 1998-09-04 FR FR9811100A patent/FR2783001B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1999
  • 1999-09-02 ES ES99940277T patent/ES2177311T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-09-02 US US09/786,412 patent/US7122223B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-09-02 CA CA002341608A patent/CA2341608C/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1999-09-02 DE DE69901455T patent/DE69901455T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-09-02 JP JP2000569032A patent/JP4574011B2/ja not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-09-02 WO PCT/FR1999/002092 patent/WO2000014294A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 1999-09-02 AU AU54280/99A patent/AU761513B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1999-09-02 EP EP99940277A patent/EP1114200B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-09-02 AT AT99940277T patent/ATE217362T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation

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