Film or coating deposition and powder formation
OwnerKwang-Leong Choy, Wei BAIinventors
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Abstract
The present invention relates to film or coating deposition and powder formation.
Claims36
A method of depositing a material onto a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) feeding a material solution comprising one or more precursor compounds, a solvent and a pH-modifying catalyst to an outlet to provide a stream of droplets of the material solution,
- (b) generating an electric field to electrostatically attract the droplets from the outlet towards the substrate;
- and
- (c) providing an increase in temperature between the outlet and the substrate.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising the step of varying the material solution composition and/or concentration during the coating process.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising the step of reversing the polarity of the electric field between the outlet and the substrate at intervals during the deposition process.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising the step of locally heating areas of the substrate to enhance material deposition at the heated areas.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising the step of electrostatically and/or magnetically steering the stream of droplets in transit from the outlet to the substrate.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the material is deposited as a film.
A method according to any one of the preceding claim, in which the material solution is a polymer solution.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the catalyst is an acid, added in sufficient quantity to give a material solution pH of between 2 and 5.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the droplets of material solution are charged to approximately 5-30 kilovolts with respect to the substrate.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the temperature increases to a temperature in the approximate range from about 100 to about 650 degrees Celsius.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method is performed within the confines of a container and the other ambient gaseous reactants are supplied to the container, thereby to enable the deposition of a particular film.
A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the film has a thickness between a nanometre and approximately 100 micrometers.
Apparatus for depositing films on a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) an outlet for providing a stream of material solution droplets, the material solution comprising one or more precursor compounds, a solvent and a pH-modifying catalyst;
- (b) means for generating an electric field to electrostatically attract the droplets from the outlet towards the substrate;
- and
- (c) a heater for heating the substrate and providing an increase in temperature between the outlet and the substrate.
A method of depositing a material onto a substrate, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) feeding a material solution to an outlet to provide a stream of droplets of the material solution,
- (b) generating an electric field to electrostatically attract the droplets from the outlet towards the substrate;
- and
- (c) providing an increase in temperature between the outlet and the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.