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AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
InventorsRobert Steinberg, Donald L. Alger, Dale W. Cooper
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There is disclosed a method of forming a continuous, thin film of stoichiometric metal hydride such as titanium dihydride, titanium dideuteride, or titanium ditritide on a substrate which may be of metal, glass or the like. The substrate is first cleaned, both chemically and by off-sputtering in a vacuum chamber. In an ultra-high vacuum system vapor deposition by a sublimator or vaporizer first coats a cooled shroud disposed around the substrate with a thin film of hydride forming metal which getters any contaminant gas molecules. A shutter is then opened to allow hydride forming metal to be deposited as a film or coating on the substrate. After the hydride forming metal coating is formed, a deuterium or other hydrogen isotopes are bled into the vacuum system and diffused into the metal film or coating to form a hydride of metal film. Higher substrate temperatures and pressures may be used if various parameters are appropriately adjusted.
A process for coating a substrate with a continuous, stoichiometric, metal hydride film comprising the steps of
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.