Laser approaches for diamond synthesis
AssigneeQQC, Inc.
InventorsAndrzej R. Badzian, Rustum N. Roy, Pravin Mistry, Manuel C. Turchan
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Abstract
A method for producing well-crystallized adherent diamond layers on WC—Co substrates. An array of focused laser beams is scanned across the WC—Co sample. Useful lasers include the excimer, YAG:Nd, and carbon dioxide types. The process is conducted in open air with carbon dioxide and nitrogen gases delivered for shrouding the substrate. A luminous plasma is found a few mm above the WC—Co insert. The duration of the deposition process in a typical case is approximately 40 s. This typically gives 20-40 μm thick coatings. The vertical growth rate is about 1 μm/s.
Claims19
A method for forming a diamond coating on a substrate consisting of WC—Co, the method including the steps of:
- forming a sample preparation station including a substrate support, an array of lasers and at least two gas outlets disposed about said substrate support, said array of lasers being taken from one or more of the group consisting of an excimer laser, a YAG:Nd laser, and a CO2 laser;
- placing said substrate on said substrate support;
- exposing said substrate to a gas environment from said at least two gas outlets, said gas environment being selected from the group consisting of N2 gas and CO2 gas;
- and
- activating said array of lasers to create a plasma about said substrate.
A method for forming a diamond coating on a substrate consisting of WC—Co, the method including the steps of:
- forming a sample preparation station including a substrate support, an array of lasers and at least two gas outlets disposed about said substrate support, said array of lasers being taken from one or more of the group consisting of an excimer laser, a YAG:Nd laser, and a CO2 laser;
- providing a first source of gas connected to one of said at least two gas outlets;
- providing a second source of gas connected to the other of said at least two gas outlets, said each of said gases being different from the other, one of said gas outlets being connected to a source of N2 gas and the other of said gas outlets being connected to a source of CO2 gas;
- placing said substrate on said substrate support;
- exposing said sample substrate to a gas environment comprised of said N2 gas and said CO2 gas;
- activating said array of lasers to create a plasma about said substrate;
- and
- allowing said substrate to be exposed to said plasma for a selected duration.
A method for forming a diamond coating on a substrate consisting of WC—Co, the method including the steps of:
- forming a sample preparation station including a substrate support, an array of lasers and at least two gas outlets disposed about said substrate support, said array of lasers being taken from one or more of the group consisting of an excimer laser, a YAG:Nd laser, and a CO2 laser;
- providing a first source of gas connected to one of said at least two gas outlets;
- providing a second source of gas connected to the other of said at least two gas outlets, said each of said gases being different from the other, one of said gas outlets being connected to a source of N2 gas and the other of said gas outlets being connected to a source of CO2 gas;
- placing said substrate on said substrate support;
- exposing said substrate to a gas environment comprised of said N2 gas and said CO2 gas;
- activating said array of lasers to create a plasma about said substrate;
- and
- allowing said substrate to be exposed to said plasma for a selected duration, whereby said coating grows vertically at a rate of about 1 μm/s.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.