Method of nitriding silicon
AssigneeEaton Corporation
InventorJames P. Edler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for nitriding materials containing silicon to form a silicon nitride material predominantly in the alpha phase is disclosed which includes nitriding the silicon-containing material by (a) heating the silicon-containing material in an atmosphere containing at least hydrogen in the temperature range of about 0.degree. C. to about 1420.degree. C. and (b) thereafter, nitriding the silicon-containing material by heating the material in a nitriding atmosphere containing at least nitrogen gas in the temperature range of from about 1000.degree. C. to about 1450.degree. C.
Claims22
A process for nitriding materials containing silicon to form a silicon nitride material predominantly in the alpha-phase, comprising:
- (a) heating the silicon-containing material in an atmosphere containing at least hydrogen to a first temperature in the temperature range of from about 0.degree. C. to about 1000.degree. C. and
- (b) thereafter, continuously heating from the first temperature to a second temperature in the temperature range of from about 1000.degree. C. to about 1450.degree. C. and nitriding the silicon-containing material by subjecting the silicon-containing material to a nitriding atmosphere while continuously heating to the second temperature to effect nitriding, said nitriding atmosphere containing at least nitrogen gas.
A method of nitriding a silicon-containing material, consisting essentially of the steps of:
- (a) heating the silicon-containing material in an atmosphere containing at least hydrogen in a temperature range of from about 0.degree. C. to about 1000.degree. C. and
- (b) thereafter, nitriding the silicon-containing material by heating in an atmosphere containing at least nitrogen in the temperature range of from about 1000.degree. C. to about 1450.degree. C.
A method of nitriding a silicon-containing material, comprising the steps of:
- (a) heating the silicon-containing material in an atmosphere containing at least hydrogen to a first temperature in the temperature range of from about 0.degree. C. to about 1000.degree. C. and
- (b) thereafter, nitriding the silicon-containing material by heating in an atmosphere containing at least nitrogen in an atmosphere containing at least nitrogen in the temperature range of from about 1000.degree. C. to about 1450.degree. C.
A method of nitriding silicon-containing material in powder form, comprising the steps of:
- (a) heating the silicon-containing material in powder form in an atmosphere containing at least hydrogen in the temperature range of from about 0.degree. C. to about 1000.degree. C. and
- (b) thereafter, nitriding the silicon-containing material in powder form by heating in an atmosphere containing at least nitrogen in the temperature range of from about 1000.degree. C. to about 1450.degree. C.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.