Tape-manufacturing system having extended operational capabilities
AssigneeSuperPower, Inc.
InventorVenkat Selvamanickam
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tape-manufacturing system for coating at least one tape substrate such as, for example, for the manufacture of a high-temperature superconductor (HTS) conductor is disclosed. The tape-manufacturing system includes at least two electron beam (e-beam) deposition sources, at least one assist source and, optionally, a controller. Each e-beam deposition source may be in-process repairable. Each e-beam deposition source is capable of communicating an evaporant material with at least a portion of at least one tape substrate to deposit a coating thereon. The at least one assist source is capable of communicating a beam of a species to the coating. The controller communicates with the at least two e-beam deposition sources and the at least one assist source.
Claims20
1-65. (canceled)
A method for coating at least one tape substrate said method comprising the steps of:
- providing at least a portion of at least one tape substrate to an enlarged deposition zone, defined by least two electron beam (e-beam) deposition sources;
- communicating an evaporant material with the at least a portion of at least one tape substrate to deposit a coating thereon;
- communicating an assist beam of a species to the evaporant material communicating with the at least a portion of at least one tape substrate such that the coating is biaxially textured;
- providing at least another portion of at least one tape substrate to the enlarged deposition zone;
- communicating an evaporant material with the at least another portion of at least one tape substrate to deposit a coating thereon;
- communicating an assist beam of the species to the evaporant material communicating with the at least another portion of at least one substrate such that the coating is biaxially textured;
- and.
(canceled)
A method of forming a high temperature superconducting (HTS) conductor structure, comprising the steps of:
- translating a tape substrate through an evacuated chamber of a manufacturing system, the evacuated chamber having (i) a plurality of e-beam sources arranged serially to create an elongated coating deposition zone along a length of the tape substrate, the plurality of e-beam sources including first and second e-beam sources, and (ii) at least one material source;
- operating the plurality of e-beam sources to form evaporant material from the at least one material source;
- irradiating the evaporant material with a species from an assist source such that the evaporant material deposits on the tape substrate to form a biaxially textured coating on the tape substrate;
- and
- repairing the first e-beam source while maintaining vacuum in the evacuated chamber.
A method of forming a high temperature superconducting (HTS) conductor structure, comprising the steps of:
- translating a tape substrate through an evacuated chamber of a manufacturing system, the evacuated chamber having (i) a plurality of e-beam sources arranged serially to create an elongated coating deposition zone along a length of the tape substrate, the plurality of e-beam sources including first and second e-beam sources and the first e-beam source having a line of sight to the substrate as the substrate translates through the evacuated chamber, and (ii) at least one material source;
- operating the plurality of e-beam sources to form evaporant material from the at least one material source;
- irradiating the evaporant material with a species from the an assist source such that the evaporant material deposits on the tape substrate to form a biaxially textured coating on the tape substrate;
- monitoring wear of the first e-beam source;
- blocking the line of sight of the first e-beam source to isolate the first e-beam source from the substrate;
- and
- repairing the first e-beam source while maintaining vacuum in the evacuated chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.