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
  • C23C14/0021—Reactive sputtering or evaporation
  • C23C14/0036—Reactive sputtering
• • 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
  • C23C14/06—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the coating material
  • C23C14/08—Oxides
  • C23C14/081—Oxides of aluminium, magnesium or beryllium
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C03—GLASS; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL
  • C03C—CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF GLASSES, GLAZES OR VITREOUS ENAMELS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF GLASS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF FIBRES OR FILAMENTS MADE FROM GLASS, MINERALS OR SLAGS; JOINING GLASS TO GLASS OR OTHER MATERIALS
  • C03C17/00—Surface treatment of glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by coating
  • C03C17/22—Surface treatment of glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by coating with other inorganic material
  • C03C17/23—Oxides
  • C03C17/245—Oxides by deposition from the vapour phase
• • 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
  • C23C14/0021—Reactive sputtering or evaporation
• • 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
  • C23C14/22—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the process of coating
  • C23C14/34—Sputtering
  • C23C14/3457—Sputtering using other particles than noble gas ions
• • 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
  • C23C14/22—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the process of coating
  • C23C14/34—Sputtering
  • C23C14/3485—Sputtering using pulsed power to the target
• • 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
  • C23C16/00—Chemical coating by decomposition of gaseous compounds, without leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, i.e. chemical vapour deposition [CVD] processes
  • C23C16/22—Chemical coating by decomposition of gaseous compounds, without leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, i.e. chemical vapour deposition [CVD] processes characterised by the deposition of inorganic material, other than metallic material
  • C23C16/30—Deposition of compounds, mixtures or solid solutions, e.g. borides, carbides, nitrides
  • C23C16/40—Oxides
  • C23C16/403—Oxides of aluminium, magnesium or beryllium
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C03—GLASS; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL
  • C03C—CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF GLASSES, GLAZES OR VITREOUS ENAMELS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF GLASS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF FIBRES OR FILAMENTS MADE FROM GLASS, MINERALS OR SLAGS; JOINING GLASS TO GLASS OR OTHER MATERIALS
  • C03C2217/00—Coatings on glass
  • C03C2217/20—Materials for coating a single layer on glass
  • C03C2217/21—Oxides
  • C03C2217/214—Al2O3
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C03—GLASS; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL
  • C03C—CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF GLASSES, GLAZES OR VITREOUS ENAMELS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF GLASS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF FIBRES OR FILAMENTS MADE FROM GLASS, MINERALS OR SLAGS; JOINING GLASS TO GLASS OR OTHER MATERIALS
  • C03C2218/00—Methods for coating glass
  • C03C2218/10—Deposition methods
  • C03C2218/15—Deposition methods from the vapour phase
  • C03C2218/154—Deposition methods from the vapour phase by sputtering
  • C03C2218/155—Deposition methods from the vapour phase by sputtering by reactive sputtering
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
  • Y10T428/24—Structurally defined web or sheet [e.g., overall dimension, etc.]
  • Y10T428/24942—Structurally defined web or sheet [e.g., overall dimension, etc.] including components having same physical characteristic in differing degree
  • Y10T428/2495—Thickness [relative or absolute]
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
  • Y10T428/26—Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component, the element or component having a specified physical dimension
  • Y10T428/263—Coating layer not in excess of 5 mils thick or equivalent
  • Y10T428/264—Up to 3 mils
  • Y10T428/265—1 mil or less

Definitions

• the present disclosure relates to a system, a method, and a device for inter alia coating a material (such as, e.g., a substrate) with a layer of aluminum oxide to provide a transparent, scratch-resistant surface.
• a material such as, e.g., a substrate
• a layer of aluminum oxide to provide a transparent, scratch-resistant surface.
• glass screens that may be configured as a touch screen. These glass screens can be prone to breakage or scratching. Some mobile devices use hardened glass such as ion- exchange glass to reduce surface scratching or the likelihood of cracking.
• a system, a method, and a device are provided to inter alia coat a material (such as, e.g., a substrate) with a layer of aluminum oxide to provide a transparent, scratch resistant surface.
• a material such as, e.g., a substrate
• a layer of aluminum oxide to provide a transparent, scratch resistant surface.
• a system for creating an aluminum oxide surface on a substrate includes a chamber to create a partial pressure of oxygen, a device to hold or secure a transparent or translucent substrate within the chamber and a device to create aluminum atoms and/or aluminum oxide molecules in the chamber to interact with the substrate to create a matrix comprising an aluminum oxide film coating a shatter- resistant transparent or translucent substrate.
• a process for creating an aluminum oxide enhanced substrate includes the steps of exposing a transparent or translucent shatter-resistant substrate to a deposition beam comprising energized aluminum atoms and aluminum oxide molecules to create a matrix comprising a scratch-resistant aluminum oxide film adhered to the surface of the transparent or translucent shatter-resistant substrate, and stopping the exposing based on a predetermined parameter producing a hardened transparent or translucent substrate for resisting breakage or scratching.
• a substrate comprising a transparent or translucent shatter- resistant substrate and an aluminum oxide film deposited thereon, wherein the combination of the transparent or translucent shatter-resistant substrate and the deposited aluminum oxide film create a matrix resulting in a transparent shatter-resistant window resistant to breakage or scratching.
• the transparent or translucent shatter-resistant substrate may comprise one of: a boron silicate glass, an aluminum-silicate glass, an ion- exchange glass, quartz, yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) and a transparent plastic.
• the resulting window may have a thickness of about 2 mm, or less, and the window has a shatter resistance with a Young's Modulus value that is less than that of sapphire, being less than about 350 gigapascals (GPa).
• the deposited aluminum oxide film may have thickness less than about 1% of a thickness of the transparent or translucent shatter-resistant substrate. In one aspect, the deposited aluminum oxide film may have a thickness between about lOnm and 5 microns.
• Figure 1 is a block diagram of an example of a system for coating a material with a layer of aluminum oxide, the system configured according to principles of the disclosure;
• Figure 2 is a block diagram of an example of a system for coating a material with a layer of aluminum oxide, the system configured according to principles of the disclosure;
• Figure 3 is a flow diagram of an example process for creating an aluminum oxide enhanced substrate, the process performed according to principles of the disclosure.
• Devices that are in communication with each other need not be in continuous communication with each other, unless expressly specified otherwise.
• devices that are in communication with each other may communicate directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries.
• Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an example of a system 100 for coating a material (such as, e.g., a substrate 120 such as glass) with a layer 121 of aluminum oxide, according to the principles of the disclosure.
• the system 100 may be employed to produce a very hard and superior scratch-resistant surface on glass, or other substrates.
• coating an ion-exchange glass or boron silicate glass with aluminum oxide, which might be sapphire makes a superior product for use in applications where a hard, scratch-resistant surface is beneficial, such as glass windows useable, e.g., in electronic devices or scientific instruments, and the like.
• system 100 may include an evacuation chamber 102 with partial pressure of process gas 135 created therewithin, including molecular or atomic oxygen.
• the device 100 may further include an aluminum source 105, a stage 110, a process gas inlet 125, and a gas exhaust 130.
• the stage 110 may be configured to be heated (or cooled).
• the stage 110 may be configured to move in any one or more dimensions of 3-D space, including configured to be rotatable, movable in a x-axis, movable in a y-axis and/or movable in a z-axis.
• the substrate 120 may be a planar material or a non-planar material.
• the substrate 120 may be transparent or translucent.
• the substrate material 120 (such as, e.g., glass, or the like) may be placed on the stage 110.
• the substrate material 120 may have one or more surfaces that may be subject to treatment.
• the substrate may be a boron silicate glass.
• the substrate 120 may be embodied in multiple dimensions, e.g., to include surfaces oriented in three dimensions that may be coated by the coating process.
• the aluminum source 105 is configured to produce a controlled deposition beam 115 comprising aluminum atoms and/or aluminum oxide molecules.
• the deposition beam 115 may be a cloud- like beam.
• the aluminum source 105 may comprise a sputtering mechanism.
• the aluminum source 105 may include a device to heat aluminum. Traditional sputtering may be employed.
• the targeting of the aluminum atoms and/or aluminum oxide molecules may include adjusting the location of the aluminum source 105 and/or adjusting the orientation of the stage 110. Adjusting an orientation or position of the substrate 120 relative to the aluminum ions 115 may adjust an exposure amount of the aluminum ions to the substrate 120. This adjusting may also permit coating of the aluminum oxide to particular or additional sections of the substrate 120.
• the system 100 may be used to coat a layer of aluminum oxide (which may be sapphire) on the target substrate material 120 (e.g., a substrate, such as glass) to provide a matrix 121 layer comprising a transparent, scratch resistant surface 122.
• the resultant scratch resistant surface 122 may comprise a window that may have applications for many consumer products including, e.g., a watch crystal, a camera lens, and e.g., touch screens for use in e.g., mobile phones, tablet computers and laptop computers, where maintaining a scratch-free or break-resistant surface may be of primary importance.
• a thin window that may be created may have a thickness of about 2 mm or less.
• the thin window is configured and characterized as having a shatter resistance with a Young's Modulus value that is less than sapphire, which may be less than about 350 gigapascals (GPa).
• GPa gigapascals
• a benefit provided by the resultant matrix 121 at surface 122 of this disclosure includes superior mechanical performance, such as, e.g., improved scratch resistance, greater resistance to cracking compared to currently used materials such as traditional untreated glass, plastic, and the like. Additionally, by using aluminum oxide coated on glass rather than an entire sapphire window (i.e., a window comprising all sapphire), the cost may be reduced substantially, making the product available for widespread consumer usage. Moreover, the use of aluminum oxide films, as opposed to full sapphire windows, offers additional cost savings by eliminating the need to cut, grind, and/or polish sapphire, which may be difficult and costly.
• a substrate 120 such as, e.g., glass, quartz, or the like, may be placed onto a stage 110 which may be heated within an evacuated chamber 102.
• Process gases are permitted to flow into the evacuation chamber 102 such that a controlled partial pressure is achieved.
• This gas may contain oxygen either in atomic or molecular form, and may also contain inert gases such as argon.
• a deposition beam comprising energized aluminum atoms and/or aluminum oxide molecules 115 may be introduced such that the substrate 120 is exposed to an aluminum oxide deposition beam 115.
• the aluminum atoms may form aluminum oxide (AI 2 O 3 ) molecules, which adhere to the substrate surface 122, the combination forming a matrix 121.
• the combination that forms the matrix 121 provides exceptional useful qualities including, e.g., improved scratch resistance and greater resistance to cracking.
• the substrate 120 itself may be moved in the deposition beam, such as, e.g., through movement of the stage 110 which may be controlled to move up, down, left, right, and/or to rotate, to allow an even coating.
• the aluminum source 105 may be moved.
• the substrate 120 may be heated by a heating device 123 sufficiently to allow mobility of ablated particles on the surface 122 of the substrate 120, allowing for improved quality of the coating agent.
• the matrix 121 formed at the surface 122 of the substrate chemically and/or mechanically adheres to the substrate surface 122 which creates a bond sufficiently strong enough to substantially prevent delamination of the aluminum oxide (AI 2 O 3 ) with the substrate 120, creating a hard and strong surface 120 that is highly resistant to breaking and/or scratching.
• the growth rate of the aluminum oxide (AI 2 O 3 ) layer forming matrix 121 at the surface 122 may be tunable.
• the growth rate of the aluminum oxide (AI 2 O 3 ) layer forming matrix layer 121 may be enhanced by reducing the distance between the aluminum source 105 and the substrate 120.
• the growth rate may be further enhanced by optimizing sputter power, as well as ambient gas pressure and composition,
• the substrate 120 may be exposed to the aluminum oxide deposition beam, and the exposure stopped based on a predetermined parameter such as, e.g., a predetermined time period and/or a predetermined depth of layering of aluminum oxide on the substrate being achieved.
• the predetermined parameter may include a predetermined amount of aluminum oxide deposited such that the amount is sufficient to achieve a desired amount of scratch resistance, but not thick enough to affect the shatter resistance of the substrate.
• the amount of aluminum oxide deposited may have a thickness less than about 1% of the thickness of the substrate.
• the amount of aluminum oxide deposited may range between about lOnm and 5 microns.
• the deposited amount of aluminum oxide may be less than about 10 microns thick.
• RF radio frequency
• DC pulsed direct current
• Coated layers several nanometers to several hundred microns thick can be achieved depending on the process parameters and duration.
• Process duration can be several minutes to several hours.
• the properties of the coated film i.e., the aluminum oxide
• the film on the substrate results in a strong matrix that is very difficult to separate.
• the film is conformal to the surface of the substrate. This conformance characteristic may be useful and advantageous to coat irregular surfaces, non-planar surfaces or surfaces with deformities. Moreover, this conformance characteristic may result in a superior bond over, for example, a laminate technique, which typically does not adhere well to irregular surfaces, non-planar surfaces, or surfaces with certain deformities.
• Fig. 2 is a block diagram of an example of a system 101, configured according to principles of the disclosure.
• the system 101 is similar to the system of Fig. 1 and works principally the same way, except that the substrate 120 may be oriented differently, which in this example, is oriented above the aluminum source 105.
• the deposition beam 115 may be controlled to direct the atoms upwardly towards the suspended substrate 120. Adjusting an orientation or position of the substrate 120 relative to the aluminum atoms 115 may adjust an exposure amount of the aluminum atoms to the substrate 120. This may also permit coating of the aluminum oxide to particular or additional sections of the substrate 120. Traditional sputtering may be employed.
• the system of Fig. 2 may also generally illustrate that the relationship of the substrate 120 and the aluminum source 105 might be in any practical orientation.
• An alternate orientation may include a lateral orientation wherein the substrate 120 and the aluminum source may be laterally positioned relative to each other.
• the substrate 120 may be held in position by a securing mechanism 126.
• the securing mechanism 126 may include an ability to move in any axis.
• the securing mechanism 126 may include a heater 123 configured to heat the substrate 120.
• the substrate 120 may be exposed to the aluminum and aluminum oxide deposition beam, and the exposure stopped based on a predetermined parameter such as, e.g., a predetermined time period and/or a predetermined depth of layering of aluminum oxide on the substrate being achieved.
• a predetermined parameter such as, e.g., a predetermined time period and/or a predetermined depth of layering of aluminum oxide on the substrate being achieved.
• a thin window that may be created by the systems of Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 may have a thickness of about 2 mm or less.
• the thin window may be configured and characterized as having a shatter resistance with a Young's Modulus value that is less than that of sapphire, i.e., less than about 350 gigapascals (GPa).
• GPa gigapascals
• the systems 100 and 101 may include a computer 205 to control the operations of the various components of the systems 100 and 101.
• the computer 205 may control the heater 123 for heating of the aluminum source.
• the computer may also control the motion of the stage 110 or the securing mechanism 126 and may control the partial pressures of the evacuation chamber 102.
• the computer 205 may also control the tuning of the gap between the aluminum source and the substrate 120.
• the computer 205 may control the amount of exposure duration of the deposition beam 115 with the substrate 120, perhaps based on, e.g., a predetermined parameter(s) such as time, or based on a depth of the aluminum oxide formed on the substrate 120, or amount/level of pressure employed of oxygen, or any combination therefore.
• the gas inlet 125 and gas outlet may include valves (not shown) for controlling the movement of the gases through the systems 100 and 200.
• the valves may be controlled by computer 205.
• the computer 205 may include a database for storage of process control parameters and programming.
• Fig. 3 is a flow diagram of an example process for creating an aluminum oxide enhanced substrate, the process performed according to principles of the disclosure.
• the process of Fig. 3 may include a traditional type of sputtering.
• the process of Fig. 3 may be used in conjunction with the systems 100 and 101.
• a chamber e.g., evacuation chamber 102
• a target substrate 120 such as, e.g., glass or boron silicate glass to be coated.
• a source of aluminum 105 may be provided that enables energized aluminum atoms 115 to be generated in the evacuation chamber 102. This may comprise a sputtering technique.
• a support securing mechanism 126 or stage such as, e.g., stage 110
• the stage 110 and/or securing mechanism 126 may be configured to be rotatable.
• the stage 110 and securing mechanism 126 may be configured to be moved in a x-axis, a y-axis and a z-axis.
• a target substrate 120 having one or more surfaces such as, e.g., glass, borosilicate glass, aluminum-silicate glass, plastic, or yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), may be placed on the stage 110, or alternatively by the securing mechanism 126.
• the target substrate 120 may be heated.
• a deposition beam 115 may be created which comprises aluminum atoms and/or aluminum oxide molecules.
• a partial pressure may be created within the chamber. This may be achieved by permitting oxygen to flow into the evacuation chamber 102.
• the substrate 120 is exposed to the deposition beam 115 of aluminum atoms and/or aluminum oxide molecules to coat the substrate 120. The exposure may be based on one or more predetermined parameter(s) such as, e.g., a depth of the aluminum oxide being formed on the target substrate surface(s), time duration, or a pressure level of the oxygen in the evacuation chamber 102, or combinations thereof.
• the aluminum atoms and aluminum oxide molecules may form the deposition beam 115 directed towards the target substrate 120.
• a gap or distance between the aluminum source 105 and the target substrate 120 may be adjusted to increase or decrease a rate of coating the target substrate 120.
• the target substrate 120 may be re-positioned by adjusting the orientation of the stage 110, or adjusting the orientation of the securing mechanism 126.
• the stage 110 and/or securing mechanism 126 may be rotated or moved in any axis.
• a matrix 121 may be created at one or more surfaces of the target substrate 120 as the aluminum atoms and aluminum oxide molecules coat and bond with the one or more surfaces of the substrate 120.
• the process may be terminated when one or more predetermined parameter(s) are achieved such as time, or based on a depth/thickness of the aluminum oxide formed on the substrate 120, or amount/level of pressure employed of oxygen, or any combination therefore. Moreover, a user may stop the process at any time.
• the process of Fig. 3 may produce a thin window that is lightweight, has superior resistance to breakability and has a thickness of about 2 mm or less.
• the thin window is configured and characterized as having a shatter resistance with a Young's Modulus value that is less than that of sapphire, i.e., less than about 350 gigapascals (GPa).
• GPa gigapascals
• 3 may be used to produce transparent thin windows including, e.g., watch crystals, lenses, touch screens in, e.g., mobile phones, tablet computers, and laptop computers, where maintaining a scratch-free or break-resistant surface may be of primary importance.
• the process may be used on a translucent type of substrate materials also.
• the steps of Figure 3 may be performed by or controlled by a computer, e.g., computer 205 that is configured with software programming to perform the respective steps.
• the computer 205 may be configured to accept user inputs to permit manual operations of the various steps.

Landscapes

• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Materials Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Metallurgy (AREA)
• General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
• Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
• Surface Treatment Of Glass (AREA)
• Physical Vapour Deposition (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=51528352

Family Applications (2)

Family Applications After (1)

Country Status (7)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (27)

Family Cites Families (24)

• 2013
  • 2013-12-10 US US14/101,957 patent/US20140272345A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2013-12-10 US US14/101,980 patent/US20140272346A1/en not_active Abandoned
• 2014
  • 2014-01-30 DE DE112014001454.0T patent/DE112014001454T5/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2014-01-30 JP JP2016500191A patent/JP2016513753A/ja active Pending
  • 2014-01-30 CN CN201480015214.4A patent/CN105247096A/zh active Pending
  • 2014-01-30 CN CN201480014889.7A patent/CN105209659A/zh active Pending
  • 2014-01-30 WO PCT/US2014/013916 patent/WO2014149193A2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2014-01-30 JP JP2016500192A patent/JP2016516133A/ja active Pending
  • 2014-01-30 KR KR1020157024100A patent/KR20150129703A/ko not_active Withdrawn
  • 2014-01-30 KR KR1020157024881A patent/KR20150129732A/ko not_active Withdrawn
  • 2014-01-30 DE DE112014001447.8T patent/DE112014001447T5/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2014-01-30 WO PCT/US2014/013918 patent/WO2014149194A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2014-02-17 TW TW103105074A patent/TW201437403A/zh unknown
  • 2014-02-17 TW TW103105075A patent/TW201500573A/zh unknown
• 2016
  • 2016-03-30 US US15/085,075 patent/US20160215381A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2016-06-28 US US15/195,630 patent/US20160369387A1/en not_active Abandoned

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events